Fugitive fraudster extradited from Dubai

Dehradun, Nov 15 (PTI) A fugitive fraudster wanted for allegedly duping people of crores of rupees through fake investment schemes has been extradited from the United Arab Emirates, police said.

The Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) branch of Uttarakhand Police successfully brought the fraudster, Jagdish Punetha, to India on November 13, Additional Director General of Police (Crime and Law and Order) V Murugesan said on Friday.

Punetha, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, has four cases registered against him in Pithoragarh district for allegedly defrauding people of crores of rupees through fake investment schemes, forming an organised gang to make illegal financial gains, and being involved in other criminal cases.

According to a police investigation, Punetha and his associates allegedly committed a fraud worth approximately Rs 15.17 crore and illegally acquired movable and immovable assets worth Rs 2.22 crore.

A case was registered against Punetha on January 16, 2023. He faces charges under sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, and under the Gangsters Act, among others.

Based on inputs from Pithoragarh police, it was confirmed that Punetha was hiding in Dubai. The CB-CID then coordinated with Interpol through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and issued a Red Corner Notice against him, which led to his arrest in Dubai, police said.

A three-member team led by an additional superintendent of police, Dehradun Sector, CB-CID, went to Dubai and brought Punetha to India, they said. PTI DPT SKY DIV DIV