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CBI extradites Haryana's most wanted criminal from Cambodia, had fled parole
Mainpal Dhilla, also known by the aliases Mainpal Badli and Sonu Kumar, has a history of serious crimes and had been a fugitive since 2018.
A notorious criminal, Mainpal Dhilla, who was sought by Haryana Police in multiple serious cases, including charges of murder and illegal firearms use, was successfully extradited from Cambodia on Tuesday.
The multi-agency operation was coordinated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in conjunction with the Haryana Police, the union home ministry, and the ministry of external affairs.
Dhilla, who is also known by the aliases Mainpal Badli and Sonu Kumar, has a history of serious crimes. He was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, attempted murder, illegal use of firearms, and criminal conspiracy in a case registered in Bahadurgarh. He was also convicted in two other cases.
While serving his life term at Hisar Central Jail, Dhilla was granted a six-week parole on July 17, 2018 and was scheduled to return to jail by August.
However, he never returned and absconded instead. He fled the country using a fake identity. He is also accused of committing a murder while in jail.
International manhunt and arrest
Acting on a request from the Haryana Police, the CBI issued a Red Notice for Dhilla through Interpol on November 6, 2024. The CBI then collaborated with the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Bangkok, which revealed that Dhilla had traveled from Thailand to Cambodia.
The CBI promptly contacted NCB-Phnom Penh, alerting them that the fugitive was traveling on a fraudulent travel document under the name of Sonu Kumar.
"A request for provisional arrest was sent to NCB-Phnom Penh, Cambodia, through Interpol channels on March 26, 2025. NCB-Phnom Penh on July 24, 2025 conveyed the arrest of the subject and requested for Extradition Request through diplomatic channels. Cambodian authorities later intimated that they had decided to hand over the subject to Indian authorities," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.
Following the decision by Cambodian authorities, a team from the Haryana Police traveled to Cambodia and successfully brought Dhilla back to India on Tuesday.
