Fugitive Abhay Rana Extradited from Portugal to India
Extradition of Abhay Rana
Photo: @ians_india/X
New Delhi, May 9: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has successfully extradited fugitive Abhay, also known as Abhay Rana, from Portugal to India, as confirmed by an official statement on Saturday.
Abhay Rana was the target of an INTERPOL Red Notice and was sought by Haryana Police for several criminal offenses in the state. His charges include extortion, criminal intimidation, running an organized crime group, attempted murder, and making life threats, according to the statement.
Investigators revealed that in one incident in Karnal district, the accused and his associates allegedly threatened local business owners via social media, including WhatsApp calls, demanding ransom. Those who did not comply faced assaults from the gang.
After concluding the investigation, a charge sheet was submitted against the accused to the appropriate court.
Upon Haryana Police's request, the National Central Bureau (NCB)-New Delhi facilitated the issuance of an INTERPOL Red Notice for the fugitive. Following his geo-location and arrest by Portuguese authorities, India submitted a formal extradition request.
After the necessary legal procedures, Portuguese authorities granted the extradition of the fugitive to India.
A team from Haryana Police then traveled to Portugal, where the accused was officially handed over to Indian officials. The team, along with the accused, returned to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Saturday.
The CBI noted that over 160 wanted criminals have been successfully extradited to India in recent years through collaborative efforts utilizing INTERPOL channels.
The agency acts as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India, coordinating with all law enforcement agencies via the BHARATPOL platform for international police cooperation and assistance through INTERPOL.