The accused, Harnek Singh, against whom an Interpol Red Notice and a Look-Out Circular (LOC) were in force, was deported from the United States and taken into CBI custody on his arrival at Delhi airport on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has secured the return to India of a person who had been evading investigation and trial since 2013. He was wanted in a case alleging that Indian nationals residing in Singapore were targeted by fraudsters through spoof calls.
The accused, Harnek Singh, against whom an Interpol Red Notice and a Look-Out Circular (LOC) were in force, was deported from the United States and taken into CBI custody on his arrival at Delhi airport on Wednesday (September 9, 2026).
He will be produced before a special court in Haryana’s Panchkula.
The CBI’s Delhi unit had registered the case in 2016 on charges of conspiracy, cheating, forgery and using forged documents as genuine.
“Investigation revealed that during 2013, Indian nationals residing or working in Singapore were contacted through spoofed calls by fraudsters operating from India, who impersonated officials of Singapore Immigration authorities,” it said on Thursday.
The victims were falsely informed that they had furnished incorrect information in their disembarkation forms at the airport and were liable to criminal prosecution and deportation. They were thereafter induced to pay purported settlement fees/fines through Western Union Money Transfer to designated receivers in India.
According to the CBI, its investigation established that the cheated money was received through a money-transfer outlet operated by Harnek Singh, in association with co-accused Aditya Bhardwaj and Deepak Jain.
“The accused Harnek Singh fled India in May 2013 and subsequently entered the U.S.A. illegally, where he remained absconding for more than a decade,” said the agency.
The trial against co-accused Aditya Bhardwaj and Deepak Jain was concluded before the Panchkula court and both were convicted on May 26, 2025.
“Despite summons and a bailable warrant having been served upon him in the U.S.A. through the U.S. Department of Justice, Harnek Singh failed to appear before the trial court. Consequently, an open-dated non-bailable warrant of arrest was issued against him by the court…,” said the CBI.
Thereafter, the agency pursued the matter through Interpol channels, resulting in the publication of a Red Notice against him. A Look-Out Circular was also opened.
Published – September 10, 2026 12:45 pm IST
