New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation, operating in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, has successfully secured the deportation of Red Notice fugitive Vishakha Rathod from the United Arab Emirates to face legal proceedings in India. The accused, who arrived at Pune Airport on August 3, was immediately taken into custody by a specialized team of the Maharashtra Police. The successful inter-agency operation reflects India’s ongoing efforts to leverage international policing channels and diplomatic mechanisms to bring back fugitives involved in major economic offences.
Rathod is a key suspect in a high-profile multi-crore investment scam primarily operating through a Pune-based firm, APS Wealth Ventures. According to investigative agencies, Rathod entered into a criminal conspiracy with her husband and primary accused Avinash Arjun Rathod alongside other associates to deceive hundreds of investors. The syndicate lured victims, including middle-class families and government employees, into depositing funds across various fraudulent schemes by falsely guaranteeing fixed monthly returns and claiming investments would double over short durations.
Instead of fulfilling the financial commitments, Rathod allegedly misappropriated the invested capital and systematically siphoned off the proceeds through a complex network of bank accounts and demat accounts. Following the sudden closure of the firm’s operations and the subsequent absconding of the promoters to Dubai, affected investors lodged formal complaints with the Economic Offences Wing of the Pune Police, leading to an official FIR at the Chaturshringi Police Station. Authorities subsequently requested INTERPOL to publish a Red Notice against Rathod to trace and detain her internationally.
The deportation marks the second major breakthrough in the case within weeks, following the earlier extradition of primary mastermind Avinash Rathod from the UAE in late July. Acting as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India, the CBI leveraged the BHARATPOL platform to coordinate seamlessly with UAE law enforcement agencies. Maharashtra Police officials confirmed that custodial interrogation of the accused is underway to trace the diverted funds, uncover additional conspirators, and execute asset recovery procedures for the defrauded investors.
