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Pune couple accused of cheating investors of crores of rupees deported from UAE
The CBI secured the deportation of Avinash Rathod and his wife Vishakha Rathod in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Avinash Rathod and his wife Vishakha Rathod are accused of cheating a large number of investors between March 2018 and 2023. (Photo by special arrangement)
The Pune city police have detained two fugitives wanted in the multi-crore-rupee APS Wealth Ventures fraud case after they were deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within the span of two weeks.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Wednesday that it secured the deportation of Avinash Rathod and his wife Vishakha Rathod in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Earlier, the central agency obtained Interpol red corner notices against the couple after they fled the country following the launch of an investigation by the police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in May-June 2023.
Avinash was deported on July 23 and Vishakha on Monday, according to the CBI. The police said the couple are in the EOW’s custody for further investigation.
The couple are accused of cheating a large number of investors between March 2018 and 2023.
“Their company lured hundreds of investors through various schemes. It offered 5 per cent profit on investments and an additional 5 per cent of the invested amount every month. The company even offered post-dated cheques to gain the investors’ trust,” a police officer said.
The couple initially gave investors returns but later defrauded them, the officer added.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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