A 20-year international manhunt by the Central Bureau of Investigation drew to a close on Wednesday as Monika Kapoor, the principal accused in a 2002 import-export fraud, was extradited from the United States and taken into CBI custody.
Kapoor, proprietor of Monika Overseas, had allegedly orchestrated a conspiracy with her brothers Rajan and Rajeev Khanna in the late 1990s, forging export documents, including shipping bills, invoices, and bank certificates, to obtain six replenishment licenses for duty-free gold imports valued at ₹2.36 crore.
According to the CBI’s statement, the accused trio later sold these licences to an Ahmedabad-based entity, Deep Exports, at a premium. Deep Exports utilised them to import gold without duty, causing a loss of ₹1.44 crore to the exchequer in 1998.
The CBI filed a charge sheet in March 2004 under Sections 120-B read with 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. Rajan and Rajeev Khanna were convicted by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Saket District Court, on 20 December 2017.
However, Kapoor evaded arrest and skipped trial proceedings. The court declared her a proclaimed offender on 13 February 2006. An open non-bailable warrant was issued on 26 April 2010, followed by a Red Corner Notice. The CBI subsequently sent an extradition request to US authorities on 19 October 2010.
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"Accused Monika Kapoor did not join the investigation and trial, she was declared a proclaimed offender by the trial court... Red Corner Notice also issued against her. A request for extradition was also sent... to the US Authorities,” the CBI stated.
After sustained diplomatic and inter-agency coordination, a CBI team travelled to the United States to take custody of Kapoor.
“This extradition marks a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice and reiterates CBI's commitment to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, irrespective of international boundaries,” the agency said in its official statement.
Kapoor is now back in India and is being produced before the competent court to face trial.
The agency reaffirmed its resolve to continue pursuing economic offenders globally.
“The CBI remains steadfast in its mission to combat economic crimes and will continue to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that the fugitives are brought to justice,” the statement added.
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