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The Enforcement Directorate has learnt that Divyangbhai Raval, a prime accused in an alleged cross-border call centre fraud linked to Hyderabad, was arrested in Morocco and subsequently taken into the custody of United States authorities, according to sources. The development emerges even as Raval’s wife pursued legal remedies before the Delhi High Court to seek diplomatic and administrative intervention from the Indian government before Moroccan authorities decided on extradition proceedings initiated by the US.
Arrest in Casablanca Follows Indictment by US District Court
According to court filings submitted by his wife, Raval was previously booked in a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in Pune on September 24, 2024, and was granted bail on December 9, 2024. The Bombay High Court later relaxed his bail conditions on March 30, 2026, removing the requirement to seek prior permission before travelling abroad. After notifying the investigating officer of his itinerary, Raval travelled through Dubai to Casablanca, Morocco, where local law enforcement detained him pursuant to a warrant issued after his indictment by the US District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle.
Reports from Morocco indicate that Raval was allegedly involved in operating a Washington-based call centre between 2020 and 2021. Staff at the centre reportedly impersonated American law enforcement officers and threatened victims across the United States with criminal prosecution to extort money through coercion and intimidation. While available judicial records confirm his detention and the initiation of extradition proceedings in Morocco, sources indicate he was subsequently transferred to the custody of the US Department of Homeland Security, though the formal legal basis of that transfer has not been detailed in court records.
Wife Approaches Delhi High Court Seeking Indian Intervention
Fearing his handover to American authorities, Raval’s wife petitioned the Delhi High Court to direct the Indian government to file its own extradition request ahead of a scheduled Moroccan court hearing on September 30. She submitted that her husband was facing active criminal proceedings in India, had secured bail, and was willing to return home to face the domestic charges. The petition additionally requested consular access, legal aid, translation assistance, medical care, communication rights with his family, and protection against any unlawful transfer outside the established extradition framework.
In an order issued on September 28, the Delhi High Court declined to issue a direct order mandating his repatriation to India. Instead, the court instructed the Ministry of External Affairs to treat the petition as a representation, examine the grievances within one week, and convey its decision to the petitioner. During a subsequent hearing on October 30, counsel representing the Union government disputed the claim that an extradition treaty between India and Morocco had been ratified, raising legal hurdles regarding a competing Indian claim for his custody.
ED Examines Financial Trails Linked to Hyderabad Call Centre
The Enforcement Directorate’s probe originates from two First Information Reports registered by the Madhapur police in Hyderabad in August 2023. The agency has been investigating suspected money laundering operations linked to illicit call centres that targeted US citizens through impersonation and threats. Financial investigators allege that approximately ₹27 lakh was moved from accounts tied to co-accused Mohammed Irfan Ansari directly to Raval.
Officials continue to trace the broader banking network to determine the exact flow of funds and assess how domestic operations supported extortion schemes abroad. The reported handover of Raval to US custody creates significant implications for the ongoing domestic trials and the pending representations before Indian courts.
