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A picture from when Vinod Sindhi was. arrested three years ago
13 September
A Dubai court has issued orders that clear the legal path for bringing notorious Gujarat bootlegger Vinod Sindhi back to India, according to media reports. The development follows a sustained investigation and document exchange by Gujarat’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) and the issuance of international notices seeking his arrest.
According to reports, the Dubai court accepted the extradition request after Indian authorities (through the SMC) submitted case papers and other required documents — including English-to-Arabic translations — necessary for proceedings in the UAE. The SMC spent nearly two years preparing and following up the dossier that formed the basis of the extradition request.
An Interpol Red Corner Notice against Sindhi has also been issued to help locate and detain him internationally. Gujarat police sources told media outlets that the notice and the Dubai court order together pave the way for Sindhi’s handover to Indian law enforcement once procedural formalities are completed.
Gujarat authorities say Sindhi is wanted in a large number of cases across the state. Local reports cite that more than 150 cases — including offences linked to bootlegging and alleged criminal conspiracy — remain registered against him in different police jurisdictions. If returned, he is expected to be produced before the relevant Indian courts for further legal action.
Background: Vinod Sindhi has long been identified by Gujarat’s SMC as a key operator in an illicit liquor network that allegedly operated on a large scale across the state. He has repeatedly been the subject of investigations, red notices and legal action; earlier attempts to secure his return reportedly hit procedural snags, including at least one earlier instance when extradition paperwork was found incomplete. Sindhi has also approached Indian courts in the past to contest related FIRs and extradition attempts.
What happens next: With the Dubai court’s order and the Interpol notice in place, operational steps remain — including confirmation of travel/transfer dates, coordination between UAE and Indian authorities, and domestic processing on arrival. Police and legal officials in Gujarat will continue to monitor the case and will release official updates when the suspect is physically handed over.
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This report is based on coverage from local and national outlets. We will update this story as official statements and further developments become available.
