CHANDIGARH: Wanted gangster Venkatesh Garg alias Vainket Garg was successfully extradited from Georgia to India on Thursday in a coordinated operation involving the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and the Haryana Police.
Garg is wanted by both the Haryana Police and Delhi Police in several cases including murder, attempted murder, extortion, organised crime, and illegal use of firearms.
Although he had been arrested during an investigation earlier, he managed to abscond after being granted bail by the court, eventually fleeing India to evade legal proceedings.
To secure his capture, the Haryana Police sought the assistance of the National Central Bureau (NCB)-New Delhi, which utilised INTERPOL channels to issue a Red Notice against the fugitive.
After the accused was geo-located and arrested by Georgian authorities, an extradition request was submitted. Following due legal process, the Georgian authorities granted his extradition to India.
With active coordination with Georgian authorities, a team of Haryana Police travelled to Georgia, where the accused was formally handed over. The team, along with the accused, arrived in Delhi on Thursday.
Garg hails from Naringarh in Ambala district of Haryana and reportedly has links with jailed gangster Lawrance Bishnoi. He had come in spotlight last year after he allegedly shot dead BSP leader Harbilas Rajjumajra in February over personal enmity.
Once he is interrogated, further details of his network and involvement in the crime syndicate will come out, said an official. The CBI, which functions as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India, coordinates with domestic law enforcement agencies through the BHARATPOL network. This high-profile extradition marks another success for the agency, which has facilitated the return of more than 160 wanted criminals to India through international channels in recent years.
