Woman wanted by US held at city airport

Sabooni was produced before a city court and was remanded to judicial custody till Jan 23, after which she was taken to the women’s central jail in Byculla.

Shahin Sabooni. (Express)

A foreign national of Indian origin facing Interpol’s Red Corner Notice since 2009 was arrested Friday from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport by the Mumbai police.

The woman was wanted by the US government for allegedly trafficking parts of military aircraft as well as for money laundering, officials said.

According to Crime Branch sources, the woman, identified as Shahin Sabooni (50), was intercepted at the immigration centre of the airport Friday night after she landed there from Iran by an Iran Air flight.

Story continues below this ad

After the Red Corner Notice was confirmed, Sabooni was taken into custody by the Mumbai police. She was placed under arrest around 10 pm.

“Sabooni was born in 1955 in Pune and holds Canadian and Iranian passports. She is accused of illegal trafficking in defence aircraft parts and laundering money to Dubai and Tehran. She is wanted for conspiracy to defraud the US government,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himashu Roy said.

Sabooni was produced before a city court on Saturday and was remanded to judicial custody till January 23, after which she was taken to the women’s central jail in Byculla.

The Mumbai police’s Crime Branch will now be writing to the Ministry of External Affairs, giving a detailed report on the
arrest.

Story continues below this ad

As per protocol, a warrant will then be issued by the extradition court in New Delhi, after which further action would be decided, the police said.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram