NEW DELHI: Lakhvinder Kumar, wanted by the Haryana police on charges of extortion and attempted murder, is being deported from the US on Saturday with the help of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), people familiar with the development said.
Lakhvinder alias Lakkhi, who is from Titram village in Kaithal, was arrested in California by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in June this year. At the time, FBI said Lakhvinder Kumar was wanted in India “on the charges including attempted murder, extortion, criminal conspiracy, and illegal use of firearms”.
“He is being brought on Saturday with the help of CBI’s Global Operations Centre (GOC) and will be handed over to the Haryana police’s Special Task Force (STF),” an officer added.
In a post on social media on June 6, FBI Sacramento announced that it had apprehended Lakhvinder Kumar in Stockton. “FBI teams nationwide are working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to target dangerous individuals and safeguard our communities,” FBI said in a Facebook post.
As reported by HT on September 23, at least 10 gangsters and notorious criminals running syndicates from foreign countries are on the radar for deportation from different countries. The list included Lakhvinder Lakkha of Titram village (Kaithal), Sahil Ritoli of Ritoli village (Rohtak), Diler Kotiya of Pindoriya village (Karnal), Saurav Gadoli of Gadoli Khurd village, Sector 37, and Dinesh Gandhi of Shivaji Nagar (both Gurugram), Aman Bhainswal of Sadar Gohana (Sonipat), and Sushil alias Sheela of Panchhi Jattan village (Sonipat).
A two-day conference organised by CBI on October 16-17 also discussed steps to accelerate the deportation and extradition of fugitives abroad.
Speaking at the conference, CBI director Praveen Sood underlined that 388 extradition requests were pending with various countries and that 957 Interpol red notices had been issued against various fugitives.
Out of 957 red notices issued till date on India’s request, 231 are related to CBI cases, 130 to National Investigation Agency (NIA), 21 in Enforcement Directorate (ED) cases, 12 in Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) cases and the remaining related to various state police forces.
Sood said that 189 red notices are related to economic offences, 254 to terrorism cases, 21 to money laundering, 55 to narcotics, and the remaining to crimes such as rape, murder, kidnapping, etc.
CBI’s Global Operations Centre, along with various agencies and state police forces, has brought 36 fugitives back to the country this year. In 2023, 29 fugitives were brought while 30 were brought in 2024.
Union home minister Amit Shah has asked the agencies to focus on the extradition of fugitives and create dedicated units and prisons in all states for fugitives.