Middle East

Saudi Arabia deports Indian fugitive wanted in cheating case

The CBI said that more than 130 fugitives have been brought back to India through Interpol coordination in recent years.

New Delhi: Saudi Arabian authorities have deported an Indian national, Manakandathil Thekkethi, also known as Sheela Kallyani, who was wanted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a case of criminal conspiracy and cheating.

The deportation followed coordination between the CBI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with support from Interpol. The fugitive arrived in India on Thursday, October 9, 2025, the CBI confirmed in a statement on X.

According to the agency, a Red Notice had been issued against Thekkethi through Interpol on 5 October 2023, enabling international tracking and cooperation. Acting on this alert, a team of CBI officials travelled to Saudi Arabia and facilitated her return to India.

“Red Notices published by Interpol are shared globally with law enforcement agencies for locating and arresting wanted fugitives,” the agency said.

In a related case, the CBI in September 2025 coordinated the return of Munawar Khan from Kuwait through Interpol channels. Khan, wanted in a case of forgery and cheating linked to the Bank of Baroda fraud, was brought back on September 11 following cooperation between the CBI’s International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU), the MEA, and NCB-Kuwait.

The CBI, which functions as India’s National Central Bureau for Interpol, coordinates such international efforts through Bharatpol. In recent years, over 130 wanted criminals have been successfully brought back to India

through Interpol channels, the statement added.

The latest deportation highlights India’s growing collaboration with foreign authorities to bring fugitives to justice and strengthen international law enforcement ties.

This post was last modified on October 10, 2025 1:23 pm

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Sakina Fatima

Sakina Fatima, a digital journalist with Siasat.com, has a master's degree in business administration and is a graduate in mass communication and journalism. Sakina covers topics from the Middle East, with a leaning towards human interest issues.

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