More than two decades after she fled to the United States, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday took custody of Monika Kapoor, who allegedly committed an import-export fraud of around Rs 1.44 crore. A CBI team is returning to India with Kapoor following her extradition.
According to the CBI, Kapoor is an accused in an import-export fraud case that came to light in 2002 and has been on the run since then.
“Monika, proprietor of M/s Monika Overseas in conspiracy with her brothers; Rajan Khanna and Rajiv Khanna forged export documents, including shipping bills, invoices and bank certificates of export and realization in 1998. On the basis of forged documents, they had obtained six replenishment (rep.) licenses for import of duty-free gold worth Rs 2.36 crore,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
Kapoor and her brothers sold the replenishment licences to one M/s Deep Exports, Ahmedabad, on a premium, as per the statement. “Later, M/s Deep Exports utilized the same licenses and imported duty free gold which caused loss to the government exchequer to the extent of Rs 1.44 crore in 1998,” the spokesperson added.
After Kapoor failed to join the investigation and the trial, she was declared a proclaimed offender by a trial court on February 13, 2006. The court had also issued an open non-bailable warrant against her on April 26, 2010. A red corner notice was issued against her, and the CBI on October 19, 2010, sent an extradition request to the US authorities.
“After completing the investigation, the chargesheet was filed on March 31, 2004 against Monika, Rajan and Rajeev under IPC sections of cheating, fraud, criminal conspiracy. The Saket Court vide order dated December 20, 2017 had convicted Rajan and Rajeev,” the CBI spokesperson said.
“This extradition marks a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice and reiterates CBI’s commitment to bringing fugitives to face the law in India, irrespective of international boundaries,” the spokesperson added.
Story continues below this ad
Kapoor will be produced before the court concerned and face trial, the CBI spokesperson said, adding that the central agency remains steadfast in its mission to combat economic crimes and will pursue all legal avenues to ensure that the fugitives are brought to justice.