New Delhi, Jan 8 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a long-absconding Proclaimed Offender, Sarit Vij alias Sarat Kumar Vij, in connection with a Rs 58 lakh fraud involving the Customs Department. A reward of Rs 10,000 had been announced for information leading to his arrest, the agency said in an official statement on Thursday.
The CBI had registered the case on June 1, 1999, against Joseph Kuok, then Superintendent at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad, Delhi, and other accused, for allegedly cheating the Customs Department of approximately Rs 58 lakh.
During the investigation, the role of Sarit Vij emerged. He was a partner in the firm M/s PS International, which had allegedly filed false duty drawback claims with the Customs Department, fraudulently seeking a refund of around Rs 19 lakh. Following completion of the investigation, Vij was chargesheeted along with other co-accused.
However, after the filing of the charge sheet in 2003, Sarit Vij failed to appear before the court and remained absconding throughout the trial. Despite sustained and persistent efforts by the investigating agency, he could not be traced for several years.
After completing all prescribed legal formalities, the court declared Sarit Vij a Proclaimed Offender on January 30, 2004. Subsequently, a reward of Rs 10,000 was announced for information leading to his whereabouts and arrest.
Further investigation and field verification revealed that the accused had changed his identity to Sarat Kumar Vij and was residing in Noida. The CBI found that he had obtained new identity documents, including a PAN card, Aadhaar card and passport, under the changed name to evade law enforcement agencies.
Acting on these inputs, the CBI carried out a meticulously planned operation, supported by technical analysis, and successfully arrested the Proclaimed Offender from his new residence in Noida on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
The CBI actively investigates fraud cases, leading to convictions of public servants and private individuals with punishment including imprisonment and hefty fines.
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