CBI secures deportation of wanted fugitive Vishakha Rathod from UAE

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has successfully secured the deportation of Red Notice subject Vishakha Rathod from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India, an official statement said on Wednesday.

Rathod is wanted in connection with a large-scale financial fraud case. According to the investigation, she, along with others, allegedly induced investors to invest in multiple schemes by falsely promising assured fixed monthly returns.

She is accused of dishonestly misappropriating investors’ funds and diverting the proceeds through multiple bank and demat accounts.

A Red Notice had earlier been issued against her through INTERPOL at the request of Indian authorities.

According to the statement, Rathod arrived in Pune on August 3, where she was taken into custody by a team of the Maharashtra Police.

The CBI, acting as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India, coordinates with law enforcement agencies across the country through BHARATPOL and facilitates international cooperation and assistance through INTERPOL channels.

The central government on Tuesday said that India has successfully brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026 as part of an intensified drive to ensure that offenders evading Indian law while staying abroad are brought to justice.

The Centre said the achievement was made possible through stronger legal provisions, enhanced international cooperation, coordinated action among multiple agencies and technology-driven investigations carried out under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said, “Previous governments lacked the political will to bring back fugitives; the Modi government has made the extradition of fugitives a ‘national priority’… Amit Shah has described the issue of fugitive offenders as one that is intrinsically linked to the country’s sovereignty, economic stability, law and order, and national security.”

According to the Ministry, the government’s approach towards tackling fugitive offenders has been built around three major pillars — global outreach, stronger coordination and smart diplomacy.

The MHA said the legal framework for pursuing absconding offenders has been significantly strengthened through the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, amendments made to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2019, along with provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which permit trials in absentia under Sections 355 and 356.

IANS