Almost two weeks after India successfully arranged the return of the architect of an Rs 88-crore investment scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now repatriated his wife from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), further closing in on one of Maharashtra's most high-profile criminal cases.
Vishakha Rathod, who was being sought by Indian authorities and was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was deported to India on August 3 after coordinated action by the CBI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
She arrived in Pune, where a Maharashtra Police team detained her.
Investigators claim she was a key figure in a financial fraud that cheated investors out of approximately Rs 88 crore by enticing them into investment schemes with assurances of fixed monthly returns.
The CBI stated that Vishakha Rathod was located and returned to India through close coordination with authorities in the UAE, following the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice at India’s request.
The CBI worked with international agencies on the operation, while the MEA and MHA managed the diplomatic and legal procedures that resulted in her deportation.
Officials stated that Rathod is currently in the custody of the Maharashtra Police, where she will undergo additional investigation and legal proceedings.
Vishakha Rathod and her husband, Avinash Rathod, were involved in a scheme that allegedly convinced investors to place funds in various investment plans by offering guaranteed monthly returns.
Investigators allege the promises were false and that the money collected from investors was diverted through several bank accounts and demat accounts instead of being used for the stated purposes.
The fraud is believed to total approximately Rs 88 crore. According to police, the couple and their associates allegedly diverted investors’ money in a planned manner before absconding from the country.
A Red Notice was released for both Avinash and Vishakha Rathod on June 4, 2026.
Responding to the notice, authorities in the UAE arrested Avinash and subsequently deported him to India on July 23.
He was taken into custody by the Economic Offences Wing of the Pune Police upon his arrival at Mumbai International Airport and subsequently brought before a Pune court, which ordered 10 days of police custody.
Investigators have been interrogating him regarding the purported financial network and the flow of investor money.
The case represents the latest move in India’s broader effort to bring back economic offenders and fugitives who have escaped overseas.
The CBI said it is working closely with Interpol and foreign law enforcement agencies to locate and return suspects wanted in criminal investigations, relying on established legal and diplomatic channels.
The agency acts as India's National Central Bureau for Interpol and facilitates international cooperation through the Bharatpol platform.
Earlier this week, the Centre told Parliament that India has successfully repatriated 274 fugitive offenders from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026, as part of a stepped-up drive to ensure that criminals who escape overseas are returned to face justice.
