The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has achieved a remarkable feat, facilitating the return of 134 fugitives from abroad over the past five years, nearly doubling the 74 repatriations between 2010 and 2019, officials revealed. This surge in success is driven by enhanced diplomatic ties, technological advancements, and robust coordination with Interpol.
Since 2020, the CBI, as India’s National Central Bureau for Interpol, has streamlined extradition processes, with 23 fugitives brought back in 2025 alone. The agency’s digital portal, Bharatpol, launched in January, has slashed the time to issue Interpol Red Notices from six months to three by improving documentation and coordination with Indian police agencies. “Bharatpol has curtailed delays significantly,” a CBI officer noted, highlighting reduced communication lags with other agencies.
Key to this success is India’s strengthened diplomatic outreach, with the External Affairs Ministry and high-level VVIP visits fostering government-to-government cooperation. The CBI’s Global Operations Centre further enhances international law enforcement collaboration, expediting extradition efforts. Notable cases include Nehal Modi, arrested in the US on July 4, 2025, linked to the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud, and Monika Kapoor, extradited from the US on July 9 after a 25-year chase for a multi-crore fraud.
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The Gulf region, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has been pivotal, with fugitives like Kubbawala Mustafa, a narcotics manufacturer, and Moideenabba Ummer Beary, a fake currency trafficker, repatriated in 2025. India has also reciprocated, arresting foreign fugitives like Lithuanian Aleksej Besciokov in Kerala for a US money-laundering case.
The CBI’s crackdown extends to cybercrime, with operations busting syndicates defrauding citizens in the US, Germany, and Japan, seizing ₹30-40 crore in cryptocurrency. These efforts have bolstered India’s extradition requests abroad. Despite challenges in some jurisdictions due to legal constraints, India’s 48 extradition treaties and 12 arrangements, coupled with events like the 2022 Interpol General Assembly and G20 Summit, have amplified progress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call at the G20 to eliminate safe havens for criminals has further fueled these efforts.
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