CBI Apprehends Long-Term Fugitive in ₹4.11 Crore Punjab National Bank Fraud Case​

New Delhi :- March 21, 2026:- ​The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully apprehended Vipin Rathi, a “Proclaimed Offender” (PO) who had been evading law enforcement for nearly nine years. Rathi was a key accused in a major bank fraud case involving the Najafgarh, Delhi branch of Punjab National Bank (PNB). The investigation into the fraud, which totals approximately Rs. 4,11,42,163, dates back to a case registered by the CBI in late September 2015.

While other individuals and entities, including RBM Developers Pvt. Ltd., were initially implicated in the criminal conspiracy to cheat the bank, Rathi’s involvement was established during the subsequent investigation.​Despite the filing of a formal chargesheet and ongoing trial proceedings, Rathi failed to appear before the court and went underground in 2017.

Following exhaustive efforts by authorities to trace him, he was officially declared a Proclaimed Offender on September 18, 2017. To avoid detection over the years, Rathi frequently changed his residence, eventually settling in a rented house in Balbir Nagar, Shahdara.

At the time of his capture, he was working under the radar as an employee at a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) parking facility located at Radhu Palace Mall in Swasthya Vihar.​The breakthrough came following a meticulous operation driven by technical analysis and human intelligence.

CBI officials conducted a field verification that placed Rathi at his place of work, leading to his arrest on March 19, 2026. This arrest marks a significant milestone in the decade-old case, demonstrating the persistence of federal agencies in pursuing financial fraudsters who attempt to disappear from the legal system.