CBI Nabs Absconder After 22 Years in Rs 58 Lakh Customs Fraud Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has finally arrested a wanted absconder in a case related to the alleged fraud of claiming duty drawback from the Customs Department. For more than two decades, Sarat had managed to remain out of the reach of law by changing his identity and location.

The accused was living in Noida under the name Sarat Kumar Vij. He had also obtained a new PAN, Aadhaar card, and passport to hide his identity.

Sarat Vij, a partner in the firm M/s PS International, filed the wrong duty drawback in the Customs, illegally claiming Rs 19 lakh. The matter started when the CBI registered a case in 1999 against Joseph Kuok, a Customs official posted at Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad, Delhi, and others, as they all were accused of cheating the Customs Department for Rs 58 lakh. Sarat was one of the people who was involved in this fraud.

The accused failed to appear during the trial proceedings even though a chargesheet was filed in the year 2003. Despite continuous efforts by the investigating team to find him, he could not be traced. Therefore, in 2004, he was declared a proclaimed offender after completing all the required legal formalities to locate him. A reward of Rs 10,000 was also announced for anyone providing information about him.

Based on inputs collected during the field verification, the CBI carried out a well-planned operation, supported by detailed technical analysis and surveillance. Based on this groundwork, the agency successfully traced and arrested the absconding accused on 7 January 2026 from his new residential address after almost 22 years.