CBI Triumphs in International Fugitive Extradition: Munawar Khan's Return

The CBI successfully facilitated the extradition of Munawar Khan from Kuwait, a fugitive wanted for forgery and cheating. Coordinated efforts through INTERPOL and partnerships with international bodies enabled Khan's retrieval, demonstrating CBI's strategic handling of cross-border criminal cases.

In a notable success story, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has effectively brought back fugitive Munawar Khan from Kuwait. This significant extradition, conducted through INTERPOL channels, involved international collaboration between the International Police Cooperation Unit, the Ministry of External Affairs, and Kuwait's National Central Bureau (NCB). The CBI confirmed on Thursday that Khan, wanted in a case involving forgery and cheating, was returned to India on September 11.

Munawar Khan, escorted by Kuwait Police personnel, landed at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, where a CBI Special Trial Branch (STB) team from Chennai assumed custody. His location originally surfaced due to rigorous INTERPOL intelligence and NCB-Kuwait's pivotal cooperation. Khan had been on the run after defrauding the Bank of Baroda and fleeing to Kuwait, earning a Red Notice status on February 7, 2022, which eventually led to his arrest by local authorities.

The successful extradition underlines CBI's role as India's National Central Bureau for INTERPOL, a critical partner in tracking and apprehending over 130 wanted criminals in recent years. Earlier, on September 5, CBI had similarly coordinated Harshit Babulal Jain's return from the UAE, charged with tax evasion and money laundering in Gujarat. These cases underscore the effectiveness of INTERPOL collaboration and CBI's determination to hold criminals accountable globally.

(With inputs from agencies.)