For years, a one-way flight was enough to put a criminal beyond the reach of Punjab Police. Today, ground-level sources, Interpol references, court warrants and quiet diplomacy work together to track down fugitives, establish their location and bring them back. Seventeen foreign-based gangsters have been deported or extradited so far, but the process behind their return is long and arduous.The list is much longer. More than 100 gangsters are said to be operating from foreign countries. According to DGP Gaurav Yadav, tracking down a single fugitive can take months, sometimes even years. The exercise involves daily surveillance, extensive documentation and dedicated teams that follow the accused through human and technical intelligence.Starting with the passportThe hunt usually begins with human intelligence. Sources are tapped to find out the fake passport used by the gangster to leave India. Once the passport details are obtained, tracking gets easier as immigration records reveal which country he flew to and the airport from which he departed. In several cases, the passports were reportedly made in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.Once the destination is established, the police send a reference to the country concerned through the Bharatpol portal, with the help of the CBI’s Interpol Coordination Unit in New Delhi. The country responds with the details of arrival and departure dates. Meanwhile, open-dated warrants are obtained from the court. The process for obtaining Red Notice then starts on the strength of these warrants. It is kept discreet to ensure that the accused does not learn his passport has been identified.Two legal routesOnce the Red Notice is issued, the gangster can be detained in the country where he is located. The legal route then splits into two. If his exact location is known or traced through Interpol, a Provisional Arrest Request is sent. It travels from the district through the Bureau of Investigation and the Home Department to the MHA and MEA, with the MEA acting as the lead agency.After the foreign country arrests or detains him, a formal Extradition Request follows. It is vetted by the NCB, MHA and MEA, signed by the SSP and the judicial or prosecution authority, and sent as three originals and four copies. In many cases, Central agencies coordinate a quicker deportation. The route varies from country to country, depending on its laws and treaties with India. Some deport fugitives quickly, while others insist on formal extradition. Ethiopia, for instance, usually opts for deportation.The Afridi trailThe case of Gurwinder Singh alias Afridi illustrates the difficulties involved. His passport, issued in Lucknow on February 12, 2025, was in the name of Vijendra Singh, a Gorakhpur resident. The police traced him to the UAE in January 2026, but he evaded arrest, following which a Red Notice was issued on priority.He attempted to fly to Mexico via Istanbul but was sent back. Subsequently, he moved to Kenya in April and Angola in June, and seven Interpol references went to countries in Asia, Africa and South America.Punjab’s Anti-Gangster Task Force ran the manhunt with the Overseas Fugitive Tracking and Extradition Cell. Special DGP Promod Ban supervised it, and IGP Ashish Chaudhary coordinated with international agencies. In November, his presence was confirmed in Ethiopia, from where he was deported.Who all have been brought backThose who have been brought back include Ramanjit Singh Romi from Hong Kong, Amrit Singh from the Maldives, Prabhpreet Singh from Germany and Parminder Singh Pindi from the UAE. Sajjan Mahesh and Sukhdev Kumar alias Manish Baidi came from Indonesia, Ajay Singh, Pawandeep Singh and Jaspreet Singh from Malaysia, and Karmbir Singh Deol from Canada. Joban Billa was apprehended following a Red Notice. Joban Saiduke and Manjot were traced but were not deported. Extradition proceedings are underway.Still on the runPunjab Police have notified 28 wanted criminals, with rewards of Rs 10 lakh on nine of them and Rs 5 lakh on the remaining 19. Six have been brought to book: Joban Billa, Aditya Kapoor alias Makhan, Shakti Kumar, Jaskaran Singh alias Katta, Rajinder Singh alias Billa and Afridi.Still on the radar, all in the Rs 10 lakh category, include Goldy Brar, Lakhbir Singh alias Landa Harike, Harwinder Singh alias Rinda, Satbir Singh alias Satta Naushera, and Balwinder Singh alias Doni Bal. The police have issued 49 Red Corner notices through NCB-India, while 13 are pending and 72 are in the process.Steps at a glanceFind the fake passport through human intelligence.Trace his exit and destination through immigration records.Send an Interpol reference through Bharatpol and the IPCU.Prepare the dossier: FIR, charge sheet, statements, forensic report, ID proof and fingerprints, with all documents translated.Obtain open-dated warrants.Initiate the Red Notice process discreetly.Confirm the fugitive’s location through human intelligence and fresh references.Send a Provisional Arrest Request if the location is known.Follow it up with an Extradition Request once he is detained, or pursue deportation