New Delhi, July 9 – In a significant victory against economic offenders, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) successfully extradited fugitive Monika Kapoor from the United States today, ending a relentless two-decade-long pursuit in connection with a 2002 import-export fraud case.
Monika Kapoor, proprietor of M/s Monika Overseas, had been evading Indian law enforcement since being accused of forging export documents—including shipping bills, invoices, and bank certificates—between 1998 and 2002. In collusion with her brothers, Rajan Khanna and Rajiv Khanna, she fraudulently obtained six Replenishment Licenses for the import of duty-free gold worth ₹2.36 crore. These licenses were later sold to M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad, leading to a loss of approximately ₹1.44 crore to the government exchequer.
Following a detailed CBI investigation, a chargesheet was filed in March 2004, and Monika’s brothers were convicted by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Saket Court, New Delhi in December 2017. However, Monika Kapoor had absconded during the investigation and was declared a Proclaimed Offender in 2006. A non-bailable warrant and a Red Corner Notice were subsequently issued, and an extradition request was formally sent to U.S. authorities in October 2010.
After persistent legal efforts and diplomatic coordination, a CBI team traveled to the U.S. to take custody of the fugitive. Monika Kapoor has now been brought back to India and will be produced before the concerned court to face trial.
This successful extradition underscores the CBI’s unwavering resolve to bring economic offenders to justice, regardless of time or international borders. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing all legal avenues to ensure that fugitives are held accountable for their crimes. CBI’s crackdown on white-collar crime continues to reinforce public trust and uphold the rule of law.
