Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): The Special Task Force (STF) has submitted a detailed proposal with evidence to the state government for the extradition of the mastermind behind a Rs3,600 crore investment fraud from the UAE, officials said. The STF is making arrangements to bring back Lavish Chaudhary, alias Nawab, the prime suspect in a cyber fraud exceeding Rs3,600 crore, from Dubai.
Following the issuance of a Red Corner Notice by Interpol last month, the Central government has also become active in the matter. According to a senior officer at the Police Headquarters (PHQ), the extradition process to bring Chaudhary back to India from Dubai has already commenced at the Central government level.
As per extradition protocols, the procedure, which involves submitting details of the alleged crimes and formal requests for custody, could take approximately three to four months. This marks the first instance for the Madhya Pradesh STF where a fugitive hiding abroad is being brought back to face justice.
The STF has filed an extradition petition in a special court in Indore. Having secured the court's approval, the STF is now seeking the assistance of the Central government to execute the repatriation process.
The papers
The STF has prepared approximately 400 documents, including the FIR, case diary, and evidence, translated from Hindi and English into Arabic. These documents have been forwarded to the state government, which will send them to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs after examination.
From there, they will be formally handed over to the UAE government. Both ministries are pursuing follow-ups through diplomatic channels and via Interpol.
The PHQ remains optimistic that a UAE court will grant approval for the extradition within three to four months, following which an STF team will travel to Dubai to take custody.
16 arrests so far
Additional Director General (ADG), STF D Sriniwas Verma told Free Press that 16 arrests have been made across the country in connection with the case. The proposal for Chaudhary s extradition has been submitted to the state government.
