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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a proclaimed offender wanted in a ₹58 lakh fraud case linked to the Customs Department, bringing to an end a manhunt that stretched over more than two decades. The accused, Sarit Vij alias Sarat Kumar Vij, who was carrying a reward of ₹10,000 for his arrest, had been absconding for several years after failing to appear before court during trial proceedings.
According to the CBI, Sarit Vij was arrested on January 7, 2026, following a meticulously planned operation based on field intelligence and technical analysis. The arrest was made from his residence in Noida, where he had been living under a changed identity to evade law enforcement agencies.
The case dates back to June 1, 1999, when the CBI registered a case against Joseph Kuok, then Superintendent at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Tughlakabad, Delhi, and other accused persons. The case involved allegations of cheating the Customs Department of approximately ₹58 lakh through fraudulent claims.
During the course of investigation, the role of Sarit Vij came to light. The CBI found that he was a partner in the firm M/s PS International, which had allegedly filed false duty drawback claims with the Customs Department. The firm fraudulently claimed a duty drawback of around ₹19 lakh, contributing to the overall loss to the exchequer, the agency said.
After completion of the investigation, Sarit Vij was chargesheeted along with other co-accused in the case. However, despite the filing of the chargesheet in 2003, the accused never appeared before the trial court. Officials said that repeated summons and efforts to secure his presence failed, as he remained untraceable for years.
Following sustained but unsuccessful attempts to locate him during the trial, the court completed all prescribed legal formalities and declared Sarit Vij a Proclaimed Offender on January 30, 2004. Subsequently, a cash reward of ₹10,000 was announced for anyone providing credible information leading to his arrest.
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CBI officials said that over the years, the accused deliberately took steps to conceal his identity and location. During recent field verification and intelligence gathering, the agency received inputs indicating that Sarit Vij had assumed a new identity as Sarat Kumar Vij and was residing in Noida.
The investigation further revealed that the accused had changed key identity documents, including his PAN card, Aadhaar card and passport, in an apparent attempt to avoid detection and continue living under a false name.
Acting on these inputs, the CBI launched a targeted operation, combining ground-level surveillance with technical analysis. The agency successfully tracked the accused to his new residence and arrested him on January 7, 2026, officials said.
In an official statement, the CBI said the arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a long-pending economic offence case and demonstrates the agency’s continued efforts to track down fugitives, irrespective of the time elapsed since the crime.
Officials familiar with the case said the accused will now be produced before the competent court, and further legal proceedings will follow. The agency is also examining the circumstances under which the accused managed to change his identity documents while remaining a proclaimed offender.
The case once again highlights the challenges faced by investigative agencies in tracking absconding economic offenders, particularly those who exploit systemic loopholes to remain underground for years. At the same time, officials said, it underscores that proclaimed offenders cannot escape the law indefinitely.
The CBI reiterated its commitment to pursuing long-pending cases and appealed to citizens to share information about absconders and economic offenders, assuring that such information would be acted upon in accordance with law.
