The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to intervene in a plea filed by a Gujarat man seeking the withdrawal of an extradition request sent to the United Arab Emirates, remarking that the country has every right to bring back offenders who evade the law.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a petition by Vijay Murlidhar Udhwani, who has been living in Dubai since July 2022 and faces 153 criminal cases in India. Authorities allege that Udhwani is involved in organised illegal activities, including bootlegging, forgery, smuggling and money laundering. A Red Corner Notice (RCN) has also been issued against him.
Udhwani had challenged a Gujarat High Court order that dismissed his plea seeking cancellation of the RCN and withdrawal of the extradition request sent to UAE authorities.
During the hearing, the bench made its stance clear.
“There are multiple offences… You come back. You will be given a red carpet welcome,” the judges told Udhwani’s counsel when he argued that the petitioner was unaware of the details of the 38 prohibition cases registered against him.
The court noted that Udhwani had left for Dubai in July 2022 and had not returned since.
“The country has a right to bring back offenders who are evading the law,” the bench said, adding that he could approach the trial court for certified copies of all FIRs and case documents.
When the counsel complained that details of the FIRs had not been provided, the court responded pointedly:
“You want the FIR details to be served to you on a platter in Dubai? You come here. They will provide you the details with full fanfare.”
The bench also noted that a warrant of arrest was already pending against him.
Udhwani’s counsel submitted that his client wanted to return to India but did not have his passport. The bench replied, “They will bring you.”
He also expressed apprehension over a co-accused’s death in custody — which police said was due to natural causes — and requested that Udhwani be kept under CCTV surveillance if he is brought back. The Supreme Court, however, did not entertain these submissions.
Faced with the court’s disinclination to intervene, the petitioner withdrew his plea.
Before the Gujarat High Court, Udhwani had argued that he was falsely implicated and that the offences attributed to him were not of a nature that justified a Red Corner Notice or extradition. The state, however, pointed out that apart from prohibition cases, he was also linked to serious offences of forgery, smuggling and money laundering, for which the Enforcement Directorate had taken cognisance.
Dismissing his plea, the High Court had held that no irregularity was found in the initiation of proceedings to secure his presence.
With the Supreme Court declining to interfere, the extradition process against Udhwani remains on course.
