cbi-brought-back-134-fugitives-in-the-last-5-years

Over the last five years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully facilitated the return of 134 fugitives from overseas, which is almost twice as many as were repatriated during the entire 2010–2019 period, cited the officials. This year alone, 23 of these 134 fugitives were brought back to India.

 

On the other hand, between 2010 and 2019, only 74 fugitives were extradited or deported to India. This notable success rate can easily be attributed to enhanced diplomatic engagements by the government, India's outreach through VVIP visits, bilateral ties, technological advancements, and improved coordination with Interpol, the officials said.

 

What is the extradition process?

 

The process has three stages -- issuance of a Red Notice by Interpol, geolocation of the fugitive, and third, extradition after legal and diplomatic manoeuvres -- all of which are time-consuming processes.

 

Also Read: CBI nabs economic fugitive Monika Kapoor after 20 years from US

 

To reduce the time required to issue a Red Notice by Interpol, which alerts all 195 countries about a fugitive wanted in a country, the CBI launched its digital portal Bharatpol in January. The platform, developed in-house by the agency, connects Indian police agencies with Interpol through the CBI, significantly accelerating the investigative and repatriation processes, thereby reducing the average time to publication of a Red Notice from six months to three months.

 

"The portal has ensured improved documentation, which took time because at times officials dealing with Interpol issues were not well versed with the format in which the application for repatriation of fugitives is to be submitted to Interpol through the CBI. The to-and-fro communication between CBI and other agencies has now been significantly curtailed, resulting in a substantial reduction in time wasted," an officer said.

 

Additionally, a crucial factor in ensuring extradition and deportation is a government-to-government understanding, which has seen a significant increase in recent years due to enhanced diplomatic activity by India.

 

What is the role of the Ministry of External Affairs?

 

The role of the External Affairs Ministry, especially that of the ambassadors and high commissioners, is a crucial factor in the repatriation of fugitives.

 

The CBI, which serves as the country's National Central Bureau and the country's designated liaison agency with Interpol, has also enhanced its international coordination through the establishment of the Global Operations Centre. This centre plays a crucial role by engaging foreign law enforcement agencies to expedite India’s extradition efforts and vice versa, officials said.

 

A recent notable success of this coordinated effort was the arrest of Nehal Modi in the US. Nehal is the brother of Nirav Modi, who is currently incarcerated in the UK, awaiting extradition to India. Nirav Modi, along with his uncle Mehul Choksi, allegedly orchestrated ₹13,000 crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking.

 

Also Read: Nirav Modi’s brother Nehal Modi held in US for money laundering

 

Nehal Modi, previously imprisoned at Franklin Correctional Institute in New York following a separate conviction there, was slated for release on July 4. Acting pre-emptively, the CBI contacted the US authorities nearly a month in advance, resulting in Nehal's arrest upon his release. He is now facing extradition proceedings, which begin Thursday.

 

Meanwhile, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi remain in custody in London and Antwerp, respectively, with multiple bail applications denied by the courts there. The CBI continues to pursue their extradition through the appropriate legal channels.

 

Last week, the CBI successfully extradited an economic offender from the US who had fled there in 1999. After a lengthy legal battle, India secured the extradition of Monika Kapoor on July 9. Such progress is reciprocal, officials said, India has also facilitated the return of fugitives wanted by foreign governments.

 

In March, Lithuanian national Aleksej Besciokov, wanted by the US authorities for laundering millions through his platform "Grantax," was arrested in Kerala. Besciokov, who was preparing to flee the country, was captured in a joint operation by the CBI and Kerala Police.

 

The CBI has also launched the prosecution of a number of fugitives who have escaped to India from Gulf countries. In addition, the crackdown on cybercriminals, based on complaints received from foreign countries, especially the US, Germany, and Japan, has led the CBI to bust several such gangs that were cheating citizens in those countries.  

 

Also Read: TN temple guard custodial death: CBI takes over probe

 

These syndicates have had cryptocurrency valued at ₹30–40 crore seized as a result of nationwide searches. India has also benefited from these measures, as requests for extradition from this country are becoming more significant in those jurisdictions. As of December 2024, the United States is still considering 65 Indian extradition requests, according to government data.

 

An important ally in India's repatriation efforts is the Gulf region, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Due in large part to high-level diplomatic engagements, a notable increase has been noted in recent years.

 

Several alleged criminals have been brought back from the UAE in 2025, including narcotics manufacturer Kubbawala Mustafa and drug trafficker Taher Salim Dolais, wanted by Mumbai Police, fraudster Upavan Pavan Jain, wanted by Gujarat Police, counterfeit currency trafficker Moideenabba Ummer Beary wanted by the National Investigation Agency, and Suhail Basheer wanted by Kerala Police.