Import-export fraud case accused extradited from U.S. after over two decades

The Central Bureau of Investigation’s over two-decade-long chase ended on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) with the extradition of an Import-export fraud case accused from the United States.

The accused has been identified as Monika Kapoor, who was on the run since 2002 after being named in the case. She, as the proprietor of Monika Overseas, allegedly conspired with her brothers, Rajan Khanna and Rajiv Khanna, to forge export documents to get replenishment licences for import of duty-free gold.

Fake shipping bills, invoices and bank certificates of export and realisation were submitted during 1998 to get six replenishment licences for import of duty-free gold worth Rs.2.36 crore. The accused persons sold the licences to Deep Exports, Ahmedabad, on premium.

As alleged, Deep Exports used the documents to import duty-free gold which caused a loss of about ₹1.44 crore to the exchequer in 1998.

On completion of the investigation, a charge sheet was filed on March 31, 2004, against the three accused before a Saket court in Delhi. While the two other accused were held guilty and convicted by the court on December 20, 2017, Ms. Kapoor remained at large and did not join the proceedings.

She was declared a proclaimed offender by the trial court on February 13, 2006, and an open non-bailable warrant of arrest was also issued against her on April 26, 2010. On the CBI’s plea, following which the agency sent an extradition request to the U.S. authorities on October 19, 2010.

“Following intense coordination with the authorities in the U.S., a CBI team travelled to the U.S. to take custody of the fugitive. This extradition marks a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice and reiterates the CBI’s commitment to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, irrespective of international boundaries,” the agency said.