New Delhi: In a major success in international law enforcement cooperation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), UAE authorities and Delhi Police, has secured the extradition of fugitive Sajeer Palli Mooppam from the United Arab Emirates to India.
The accused was wanted in connection with a sexual assault case registered by the Delhi Police.
According to investigators, Mooppam, along with an accomplice, administered an intoxicating substance to a 20-year-old woman, rendering her unconscious and incapable of resisting.
The accused then transported the victim to a hotel, where he fraudulently checked in using the identity credentials of a third party in an attempt to conceal his identity and evade law enforcement scrutiny, the CBI statement said.
Investigators alleged that the victim was subjected to sexual assault while in an incapacitated state. The allegations were subsequently supported by medical examinations and forensic evidence collected during the investigation.
A comprehensive charge sheet has already been filed before the competent court.
Acting on a request from Delhi Police, the CBI, through INTERPOL channels, facilitated the publication of a Red Corner Notice against the accused. The fugitive was later geo-located and apprehended by authorities in the UAE following a request from the National Central Bureau (NCB)-New Delhi.
After completion of the required legal formalities, UAE authorities approved the extradition and handed over the accused to a Delhi Police escort team. The team subsequently returned to New Delhi with the fugitive on Wednesday.
The CBI, which functions as India’s National Central Bureau for INTERPOL, coordinates international police cooperation through BHARATPOL. Since 2019, more than 278 wanted criminals have been brought back to India through sustained coordination between Indian agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities, underscoring the country’s growing success in tracking and repatriating fugitives from abroad.
(IANS)
