NEW DELHI: Indian agencies on Wednesday secured the extradition of high-profile fugitive Prabhdeep Singh from Azerbaijan, marking a significant breakthrough for international law enforcement cooperation. Singh, the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was escorted back to India by a special three-member team.The operation witnessed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Delhi Police acting in tandem with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the ministry of home affairs (MHA). Singh was recently geolocated to a flat in Baku.The capture is significant because a large number of Indian gangsters and narco-traffickers had started to use the Azerbaijan route to flee the country, sources said. This operation also marks a major victory in India’s ongoing crackdown on narco-terrorism and organised crime, bringing the total number of fugitives repatriated to India in recent years to over 160, according to CBI.Singh, the alleged mastermind behind a massive international narcotics syndicate, arrived at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning, escorted by the special team led by ACP Vivek Tyagi from Delhi Police’s special cell, additional CP Pramod Kushwaha said.Having absconded from India in 2023, Singh was traced in Baku after CBI triggered an Interepol Red Notice at the request of Delhi Police. CBI, acting as the National Central Bureau for Interpol in India, used the Bharatpol platform to streamline communication between domestic and international agencies.Following his arrest by Azerbaijani authorities, a formal extradition request was processed through diplomatic and legal channels, culminating in his return to Indian soil. The investigation of the case started in 2021, beginning with the arrest of Rizwan Kashmiri in south Delhi.His interrogation uncovered a sophisticated network spanning several states and involving Afghan nationals. The trail eventually led to a massive seizure in Faridabad, where 166 kg of heroin was found in one vehicle and 115 kg in another. Investigators established that the syndicate was orchestrated by Turkey-based drug kingpin Navpreet Singh, alias Nav. Prabhdeep Singh, Nav’s cousin, served as the operational linchpin in India.With the trial already under way for 10 other accused individuals, Singh’s extradition is expected to provide critical evidence regarding the gang’s financial trails and international links. He is being interrogated to further unravel the complexities of the drug network’s operations within India and abroad.About the AuthorRaj Shekhar JhaRaj Shekhar Jha is a journalist for the Times of India with over a decade of experience in reporting on national security, terrorism, crime and prisons.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosVijay Targets NEET Again, Says Medical Admissions Should Depend On Class 12 MarksCongress Claims Assam FIR Row Is Linked To Questions Over Himanta Sarma Assets | WatchCBI Arrests Five In NEET-UG 2026 Paper Leak Case As Probe Expands Nationwide | WatchEx-Army Chief Naravane Backs People-To-People Ties To Improve India Pak RelationsAir India Cuts 29 International Routes As West Asia War Drives Up Fuel Costs And DisruptionsVijay Reverses Astrologer Appointment; PM Modi Orders Nearly 50% Convoy | Headlines@9EPS Removes Rebel Leaders Backing Vijay Government As AIADMK Internal Crisis DeepensPostmortem Reveals Massive Blood Clot In Lungs Caused Prateek Yadav’s Death | WatchHimanta Biswa Sarma Announces UCC Bill For Assam As State Moves Towards Uniform Civil LawNEET UG 2026 Cancellation Sparks Rajasthan Political Storm As BJP And Congress Clash Over Leak123Photostories10 soft celestial baby boy names inspired by the moonTara Sutaria’s Cannes debut look is giving ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ vibe, but make it Bollywood editionTop US states with most lightning strikesAlia Bhatt stuns in an icy blue gown at Cannes 2026; fashion fans say, “Elsa who?”Inside 15 years of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales’s most talked-about royal looksFigs are more powerful than you think: Here’s what happens when you eat them regularly and how to eat it properlyStop throwing away mango peel: 6 delicious ways to use them in your kitchen5 weird things people do in love and why, as per psychologyWhy these 5 vegetable DIY remedies are harmful for your skin8 Indian states where women can travel free on government buses; West Bengal becomes the latest to join the list123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultUS Iran warPrateek YadavHaryana election resultForeign outflowNEET exam cancelledTamil Nadu assemblyTop TrendingNashik AstrologerTamil Nadu NewsIPL Points TablePM Internship SchemeIPL Match TodayHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026Aparna YadavAir India FlightsPrateek Yadav
NEW DELHI: Indian agencies on Wednesday secured the extradition of high-profile fugitive Prabhdeep Singh from Azerbaijan, marking a significant breakthrough for international law enforcement cooperation. Singh, the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, was escorted back to India by a special three-member team.The operation witnessed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Delhi Police acting in tandem with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and the ministry of home affairs (MHA). Singh was recently geolocated to a flat in Baku.The capture is significant because a large number of Indian gangsters and narco-traffickers had started to use the Azerbaijan route to flee the country, sources said. This operation also marks a major victory in India’s ongoing crackdown on narco-terrorism and organised crime, bringing the total number of fugitives repatriated to India in recent years to over 160, according to CBI.Singh, the alleged mastermind behind a massive international narcotics syndicate, arrived at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning, escorted by the special team led by ACP Vivek Tyagi from Delhi Police’s special cell, additional CP Pramod Kushwaha said.Having absconded from India in 2023, Singh was traced in Baku after CBI triggered an Interepol Red Notice at the request of Delhi Police. CBI, acting as the National Central Bureau for Interpol in India, used the Bharatpol platform to streamline communication between domestic and international agencies.Following his arrest by Azerbaijani authorities, a formal extradition request was processed through diplomatic and legal channels, culminating in his return to Indian soil. The investigation of the case started in 2021, beginning with the arrest of Rizwan Kashmiri in south Delhi.His interrogation uncovered a sophisticated network spanning several states and involving Afghan nationals. The trail eventually led to a massive seizure in Faridabad, where 166 kg of heroin was found in one vehicle and 115 kg in another. Investigators established that the syndicate was orchestrated by Turkey-based drug kingpin Navpreet Singh, alias Nav. Prabhdeep Singh, Nav’s cousin, served as the operational linchpin in India.With the trial already under way for 10 other accused individuals, Singh’s extradition is expected to provide critical evidence regarding the gang’s financial trails and international links. He is being interrogated to further unravel the complexities of the drug network’s operations within India and abroad.