Wife of Rs 88-crore fraud mastermind deported from UAE to face probe in India

 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has successfully facilitated the deportation of wanted fugitive Vishakha Rathod from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India.

Rathod, who was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was brought back to India on August 3, 2026, in connection with a case involving an alleged large-scale financial fraud. She arrived in Pune and was subsequently taken into custody by a team of Maharashtra Police.

According to the CBI, Rathod was wanted for her alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy in which investors were induced to invest money in multiple schemes on the false promise of assured fixed monthly returns.

The agency said that the accused allegedly dishonestly misappropriated the invested funds and diverted the proceeds through multiple bank accounts and demat accounts.

Following the investigation, a Red Notice was issued against Rathod through the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), enabling coordination with international agencies for locating and securing her return to India.

The CBI, which serves as the nodal agency for INTERPOL-related matters in India, has been coordinating with various national and international authorities to trace and bring back individuals wanted in criminal cases.

The successful deportation was carried out with assistance from the MEA and MHA, highlighting inter-agency cooperation in efforts to bring fugitives involved in serious economic offences back to face legal proceedings in India.

The accused is now in the custody of Maharashtra Police for further investigation and necessary legal action in the case.

Authorities have reiterated their commitment to pursuing fugitives who evade legal proceedings by moving abroad and ensuring that they are brought back through established legal and diplomatic channels.

Vishakha Rathod, wife of the alleged mastermind behind an estimated ₹88-crore investment fraud, was deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India following an Interpol Red Notice. Upon landing in India on August 3, 2026, she was taken into custody by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Pune Police.

Key Details of the Case

• The Fraud Scheme: Vishakha Rathod and her husband, Avinash Rathod, allegedly ran a Ponzi scheme through their firm, APS Wealth Ventures LLP. They lured investors by promising guaranteed, high monthly returns before diverting funds across various personal bank and demat accounts.

• Scale of the Scam: While initial complaints reported a fraud of around ₹16 crore, further investigation revealed that overall investor losses amounted to nearly ₹88 crore.

  
  
  

• Joint Agency Operation: The deportation was coordinated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)—acting as India’s National Central Bureau for Interpol—alongside the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and UAE authorities.

• Husband's Arrest: Her husband, Avinash Rathod, was previously detained in the UAE under a similar Interpol Red Notice and deported to India on July 23, 2026. He remains under police custody in Pune.

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