Vishakha Rathod, wife of Rs 88 crore fraud mastermind, deported from UAE after husband’s extradition
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with support from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has secured the deportation of wanted fugitive Vishakha Rathod from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India, officials said.
Rathod, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was deported to India on August 3, 2026, in connection with an alleged multi-crore financial fraud case. She landed in Pune, where a Maharashtra Police team took her into custody.
Vishakha is the wife of Avinash Rathod, the mastermind of the Rs 88 crore fraud in which several people were induced to invest in multiple fraudulent schemes.Â
The case against Vishakha Rathod
According to the CBI, Rathod is accused of being part of a criminal conspiracy that lured investors into depositing money in multiple schemes by promising assured fixed monthly returns. Investigators allege that the funds collected from investors were dishonestly misappropriated and routed through multiple bank and demat accounts.
Following the investigation, the CBI obtained an Interpol Red Notice against Rathod, facilitating coordination with international law enforcement agencies to trace her and secure her return to India.
As India’s nodal agency for Interpol matters, the CBI worked closely with authorities in the UAE, along with the MEA and MHA, to complete the deportation process.
The agency said the operation underscores effective coordination between domestic and international authorities in bringing back fugitives accused of serious economic offences. Rathod is now in the custody of Maharashtra Police, where she will face further investigation and legal proceedings.
Officials reiterated their commitment to pursuing fugitives who flee abroad to evade the law and ensuring their return through established legal and diplomatic channels.
How Avinash Rathod was arrested
An Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against Avinash Rathod and his wife, Vishakha Rathod, on June 4, 2026. Acting on the notice, authorities in the United Arab Emirates detained Avinash Rathod.
He was extradited to India on July 23, 2026. After landing at Mumbai International Airport, Rathod was formally arrested by the Pune Police’s Economic Offences Wing and taken to Pune, where he was produced before a court.
The court then remanded him to 10 days of police custody.
The CBI, which functions as India’s National Central Bureau for Interpol, coordinates with law enforcement agencies across the country through the Bharatpol platform and facilitates international cooperation via Interpol channels to trace and secure the return of wanted fugitives.
Meanwhile, the Centre informed Parliament on Tuesday that India has successfully brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026 as part of its intensified efforts to ensure that offenders who flee abroad to evade Indian law are brought back to face justice.
With inputs from ANI
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