CBI secures deportation of investment-fraud accused from UAE

Vishakha Rathod was detained by authorities in the UAE in pursuance with a pending Interpol Red Corner Notice and brought to Pune on Monday, where she was handed over to the local police

MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has secured the deportation of Vishakha Rathod, an accused in an alleged multi-crore financial fraud case being probed by the Pune police, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), CBI officials said on Wednesday.

Vishakha Rathod is an accused in an alleged financial fraud case

Rathod was detained by authorities in the UAE in pursuance with a pending Interpol Red Corner Notice and brought to Pune on Monday, where she was handed over to the local police. Earlier, on July 23, the CBI had secured the deportation of her husband and co-accused, Avinash Rathod, from UAE. He too had been handed over to the Pune police.

According to probe agencies, Vishakha Rathod, Avinash Rathod and other accused in the case induced investors to sign up for multiple schemes by falsely promising them assured fixed monthly returns. They then allegedly misappropriated the collected funds and diverted the proceeds through multiple bank accounts and demat accounts.

The CBI, which acts as the Interpol’s nodal agency in India, secured Vishakha Rathod’s deportation after her presence in the UAE was confirmed, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“As the National Central Bureau for Interpol in India, CBI coordinates with all law enforcement agencies across the country for assistance via Interpol channels to trace wanted accused persons,” a CBI official said.

More than 170 wanted criminals had been brought back to India in the past few years through coordination via Interpol channels, the official noted.

Last month, the CBI had secured the deportation of a fugitive, Muhammadali Palliyalil, who was wanted by the National Investigation Agency in a case related to alleged unlawful activities and murder. Palliyalil was brought to India from Saudi Arabia.