Indian Fugitive Extradited To US To Face Manslaughter Charge

Photo: Nassau County DA Office

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY- Ganesh Shenoy, a 54-year-old Indian citizen, has been extradited from India to the United States to face a second-degree manslaughter charge in connection with a fatal car crash that occurred in New York more than two decades ago. The transfer marks the resumption of extraditions from India to the US after a 17-year hiatus, according to officials.

Shenoy was taken into custody by the US Marshals Service in Mumbai and transported to Nassau County, New York, where he was arraigned before a judge on September 26 and ordered held without bail, the prosecutor’s office announced on September 29.

The charge stems from an April 2005 crash in Hicksville, a New York City suburb. Shenoy was allegedly driving at twice the speed limit and ran a red light, hitting the vehicle of 44-year-old Philip Mastropolo, who was driving to work. The force of the impact caused Mastropolo’s car to skid approximately 20 meters before crashing into a truck, killing the father-of-two instantly.

Though his Indian passport was reportedly confiscated after the incident, Shenoy refused medical treatment and managed to evade law enforcement, flying from New York to Mumbai 14 days after the crash. He was formally charged with second-degree manslaughter in August 2005, and an Interpol Red Notice was subsequently issued for his arrest.

The maximum penalty for a second-degree manslaughter conviction under New York law is 15 years.

“After decades of evading law enforcement and dodging prosecution, my office finally returned this defendant to the United States to answer for the tragic death of a husband and father of two more than 20 years ago,” said Prosecutor Donnelly in a statement.

The DA’s office said the US DoJ and US Embassy in India helped in the extradition.