Monika Kapoor Extradited from US in Rs. 1.44 Crore Gold Import Fraud Case
In what the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has called a major breakthrough, Monika Kapoor, a long-time fugitive, has been brought back to India from the United States. She arrived on an American Airlines flight and will now face trial in connection with a Rs. 1.44 crore gold import fraud case.
Kapoor had been on the run since 1999, and her return ends more than two decades of investigation and legal proceedings.
Why Did Monika Kapoor Go Into Hiding?
Monika Kapoor was the owner of a Delhi-based company, M/s Monika Overseas. According to the CBI, she and her brothers — Rajan Khanna and Rajeev Khanna — allegedly forged export documents, including fake shipping bills, invoices, and bank certificates related to jewellery exports.
These forged documents were then used to illegally obtain six Replenishment Licences — licenses that allow exporters to import raw materials duty-free to replace those used in exports.
Instead of using the licenses legitimately, Kapoor reportedly sold them at a premium to an Ahmedabad-based company, Deep Exports, which then used them to import gold without paying customs duty. This caused a loss of Rs. 1.44 crore (approximately $679,000) to the Indian government.
Her brothers were convicted in 2017, but Monika Kapoor had evaded arrest and remained a proclaimed offender.
CBI’s Long Legal Battle Pays Off
The CBI officially filed a chargesheet against Kapoor and her brothers in 2004, charging them with criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. On February 13, 2006, she was declared a proclaimed offender.
India requested her extradition under the India-US Extradition Treaty, following which a district court in New York approved her extradition in 2012. Kapoor fought a lengthy legal battle, filing multiple appeals in the US court system.
However, in March 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the extradition decision.
Now, three months later, Monika Kapoor has finally been extradited to India and will face prosecution for her role in the gold import fraud case.
