After a legal battle spanning over two decades, Monika Kapoor, accused of economic offenses, has been deported from the United States to India. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took custody of Kapoor in the U.S. and she is expected to arrive in India on Wednesday night.
The case against Kapoor dates back to 1999, involving alleged forgery and fraud related to her jewellery business, Monika Overseas. Kapoor, along with her brothers Rajan and Rajeev Khanna, are accused of conspiring to forge export documents, including shipping bills, invoices, and bank certificates in 1998. These fraudulent documents were allegedly used to obtain six replenishment licenses for duty-free gold imports valued at ₹2.36 crore. These licenses were then reportedly sold at a premium to Deep Exports, an Ahmedabad-based firm, which imported duty-free gold. This caused a financial loss of ₹1.44 crore (more than USD 679,000) to the Indian government.
Following the registration of the case and the unfolding of the investigation, Monika Kapoor left India for the United States in 1999. A chargesheet was filed by the CBI on March 31, 2004, against Monika Kapoor and her brothers under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These included Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy), Section 420 (cheating), Section 467 (forgery), Section 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), and Section 471 (using forged document as genuine). While her brothers, Rajan and Rajeev Khanna, were convicted by a Delhi court on December 20, 2017, Kapoor remained at large. She was declared a proclaimed offender on February 13, 2006, and an open non-bailable arrest warrant was issued on April 26, 2010, followed by a Red Corner Notice.
India formally requested Kapoor's extradition from the U.S. in October 2010, invoking the extradition treaty between the two countries. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York cleared her extradition. Kapoor then filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, challenging the Secretary's decision, but the district court denied her petition. The Secretary of State subsequently issued a surrender warrant, rejecting Kapoor's claims that she would likely be tortured if returned to India, and that her extradition would therefore violate the United Nations Convention Against Torture. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reviewed the case and affirmed the district court's decision.
The CBI has emphasized its commitment to pursuing justice in this matter. The agency stated that Kapoor will be produced before the appropriate court and will now face trial. The CBI also highlighted that this extradition marks a major breakthrough and reiterates its dedication to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, regardless of international borders.
