The UAE has extradited a man to India, accused of tax evasion, illegal gambling, and money laundering, according to a statement from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Harshit Babulal Jain was transported to Ahmedabad on September 5 and handed over to Gujarat Police, as confirmed by the CBI, India’s premier federal investigative agency and Interpol liaison office.
The CBI reported that Jain was under a Red Notice from Interpol, issued in August 2023 at the Gujarat Police’s request. The agency collaborated with India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and UAE authorities to facilitate his extradition.
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Indian media, citing Gujarat Police, stated that Jain was a primary suspect in a betting ring that allegedly funneled an estimated Rs2,300 crore (approximately Dh958 million) through various bank accounts.
Nirlipta Rai, Deputy Inspector General of the State Monitoring Cell (SMC), reported that Rs9.62 crore (Dh4 million) across 481 accounts were frozen, and over 1,500 accounts were linked to the illegal operation.
Rai mentioned that Jain was located in Dubai following an Interpol alert and deported after a formal request to UAE authorities in December 2023.
The SMC had been pursuing Jain since he reportedly vanished after a police raid in Ahmedabad in March 2023, which first unveiled evidence of the extensive betting and money laundering operation.
The CBI highlighted that over 100 wanted individuals have been extradited to India in recent years through Interpol, many from the Gulf region.
