ace2News/ New Delhi/Panchkula
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully secured the return to India of long-absconding accused Harnek Singh, who had been evading investigation and trial since 2013.
The accused Harnek Singh, against whom an Interpol Red Notice and a Look-Out Circular (LOC) were in force, was deported from the USA and apprehended by CBI officials on his arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, on 09.09.2026. He would be produced before the Court of the Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI Cases), Panchkula, Haryana, at the earliest.
A case was registered by CBI, Delhi in 2016 for offences of conspiracy, cheating, forgery and using forged documents as genuine under IPC and for offences under Information Technology Act. Investigation revealed that during 2013, Indian nationals residing or working in Singapore were contacted through spoofed calls by fraudsters operating from India, who impersonated officials of Singapore Immigration authorities. The victims were falsely informed that they had furnished incorrect information in their disembarkation forms at the airport and were liable to criminal prosecution and deportation. They were thereafter induced to pay purported settlement fees/fines through Western Union Money Transfer to designated receivers in India.
The investigation established that the cheated money was received through a money-transfer outlet operated by Harnek Singh, in association with co-accused Aditya Bhardwaj and Deepak Jain. The accused Harnek Singh fled India in May 2013 and subsequently entered the USA illegally, where he remained absconding for more than a decade.
While Harnek Singh continued to remain absconding, the trial against co-accused Aditya Bhardwaj and Deepak Jain was concluded before the above Court and both were convicted on 26.05.2025.
Despite summons and a bailable warrant having been served upon him in the USA through the U.S. Department of Justice, Harnek Singh failed to appear before the trial Court. Consequently, an open-dated non-bailable warrant of arrest was issued against him by the Court of the Special Judicial Magistrate, CBI, Panchkula, on 22.04.2024. The CBI thereafter pursued the matter through Interpol channels, resulting in the publication of an Interpol Red Notice against him, and also caused a Look-Out Circular to be opened against his passport.
The operation reflects CBI’s continued pursuit of fugitive accused through international law-enforcement and diplomatic channels, including effective utilization of Interpol mechanisms, Look-Out Circulars and coordination with foreign authorities. It also reiterates CBI’s commitment to ensuring that absconding accused are brought before the law, irrespective of the time elapsed.
Chandigarh
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