In a first, a CBI team reportedly flew to Bahrain to bring back Mohammed Yahya, an economic offender who had fled from India nine years ago. This is being considered as a major victory for the Indian government against such fugitive economic offenders.

The CBI brings back Mohammad Yahya

According to The Times Of India, top sources in the CBI informed that the Bahrain authorities had traced and arrested 47-year-old Yahya a few months ago on the basis of an Interpol red notice which was issued on India’s request. After this, both the Indian authorities and the authorities in Bahrain engaged in high-level talks to have Yahya deported to India. After being caught, his identity was confirmed with the help of intelligence agencies as well as relevant documents, while evidence and testimonies were shared with Bahrain to convince the authorities to deport Yahya. On Friday, October 12, Yahya was brought to Delhi first and then subsequently taken to Bengaluru for further investigation.

Reportedly, Yahya, who is from Bengaluru cheated a couple of banks of Rs 46 lakh in 2003. The CBI began a probe in 2009, by when he had already fled from India. However, after completion of the probe, a special CBI court declared him to be an offender. He was charged for criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, impersonation and forgery for taking a loan from public sector banks and “deliberately” not repaying it.

While Yahya’s criminal offence seems negligible when compared to bigger fraudsters like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Jatin Mehta, Nitin Sandesara, the Indian government’s success sheds light over the fact the government is serious about nabbing any such individual who has fled with public money, claimed a senior government official. Reportedly, Yahya is not even covered under the recently passed Fugitive Economic Offenders’ Act, 2018.

While the Indian investigative agencies are busy pursuing extradition of Mallya, Modi and Choksi, the government has reportedly shared a list of 28 fugitive economic offenders. Officials have claimed that there are many cases like Yahya where small-time economic offenders have fled the country fearing arrest. The investigation of such individuals gets sidelined due to bigger cases.

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