CBI Brings Back Two Wanted Fugitives, Including Terror Financier

In a major success in India’s efforts to bring back fugitives, the CBI on Wednesday successfully extradited two most wanted criminals, including a terrorist. The anti-corruption probe agency on Wednesday said that, in coordination with the MEA, MHA and NIA, it had successfully secured the extradition of wanted fugitive Iqbal Singh from Portugal. NIA had registered a narco-terror case in 2020 in which Singh was wanted. Iqbal Singh is associated with proscribed terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.“Mastermind in a major Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terror financing case, Shera was brought to India today following due legal process. He was taken into custody by an NIA team at the Delhi airport immediately on his arrival from Portugal, where he had absconded

in 2020. His successful extradition and arrest come as a major shot in the arm for NIA’s fight against Pakistan-backed narco and cross-border terrorism,” NIA said in a statement on Wednesday.The anti-terror probe agency said Shera was a key conspirator and handler of an India-based narco-terror module engaged in smuggling heroin from Pakistan.“Shera had masterminded the conspiracy involving smuggling of narcotics from Pakistan into the border state. He had coordinated and overseen the trafficking and distribution of the smuggled drugs, and channelised the proceeds through hawala networks to Pakistan- and Kashmir-based operatives of HM to facilitate terror activities,” NIA said.“To further the anti-India narco-terror conspiracy, Shera had formed a terror gang and operated a Punjab-based network of associates engaged in the trafficking of large quantities of heroin, collection of sale proceeds, and transfer of funds to handlers and terror operatives. He had maintained close links with Pakistan-based HM terror operatives,” NIA added.“At the request of NIA, CBI got a Red Notice published against the subject through INTERPOL channels. Subsequently, the subject was geo-located in Portugal and arrested by the Portuguese authorities. Thereafter, an extradition request was sent to the authorities in Portugal,” CBI said.The case was initially registered by Punjab Police following the arrest of an HM overground worker, Hilal Ahmed Shergojri, and the seizure of Rs 29 lakh in drug proceeds from him. Shergojri was a close aide of deceased terrorist commander Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo.Further investigation led to the recovery of another Rs 32 lakh in narco-terror proceeds from various Punjab-based members of the terror gang.The second wanted criminal extradited on Wednesday was gangster Prabdhdeep Singh from Azerbaijan.“The subject was wanted in connection with a case registered at Special Cell Police Station, New Delhi, under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. In the said case, a substantial quantity of narcotic substances was recovered and several co-accused persons were arrested. The subject was the main organiser of this narcotics racket,” CBI said.“At the request of Delhi Police, CBI got a Red Notice published against the subject through INTERPOL channels. After the subject was geo-located and arrested by the Azerbaijan authorities, an extradition request was sent to them. Following due legal process, the subject was successfully extradited to India,” the agency added.A three-member escort team of Delhi Police visited Baku, Azerbaijan, to bring back Prabdhdeep Singh. The team, along with the accused, arrived in Delhi on Wednesday. After legal formalities, his custody was handed over to Delhi Police.In recent times, the CBI has been coordinating with the MEA and MHA, and more than 160 wanted fugitives have been brought back to India to face trial.