Chandigarh: Wanted gangster Venkat Garg was extradited from Georgia on Thursday, marking the first-ever extradition from the eastern European country and the 10th secured by the Haryana Special Task Force (STF) this year.
Garg, 29, is the alleged kingpin of a 53-member criminal syndicate involved in murders, targeted killings, extortion, organised crime, and illegal arms operations across Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, and Chandigarh. A proclaimed offender from Haryana's Ambala district, Garg faces 34 criminal cases in Haryana and Chandigarh, according to officials. Before fleeing India, 23 cases had already been registered against him. Authorities allege he continued to direct his criminal network from abroad through local associates, leading to 11 more cases.
Major Crimes and Flight
Among the gang's major crimes are the murder of BSP functionary Harbilas in Naraingarh and several extortion-linked firing incidents in Ambala and Yamunanagar. Investigations revealed that Garg fled India for the UAE via Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Dec 10, 2024, before later travelling to Georgia on Jan 26, 2025. During the probe, STF officials found he had obtained a passport using a fraudulent residential address in Gurugram. The passport was subsequently cancelled on Feb 4, 2025.
Legal Measures and Arrest
To secure his arrest, the Haryana STF initiated multiple legal measures, including the issuance of a look out circular, an Interpol Red Notice, open-dated arrest warrants, and proceedings to declare him a proclaimed offender. Acting on intelligence inputs and coordination through Interpol channels, Georgian authorities located and apprehended him. Following his arrest, India submitted a formal extradition request, which was approved after the completion of legal proceedings in Georgia. A Haryana Police escort team travelled to Georgia, took custody of the fugitive, and returned with him to Delhi.
