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Manjeet Singh Bedi was extradited from India to the US to face alleged SNAP fraud charges. His return highlights growing India-US cooperation in tracing and repatriating high-value fugitives.
Washington,Oct 16, 2026 10:54 IST
A most-wanted fraud accused of irregularities in United States government schemes has been extradited from India, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing the US Department of Justice.
Manjeet Singh Bedi, who was arrested in India last month, was brought back to the US on Wednesday night and is scheduled to appear before the Western District Court of Washington state on Friday, Acting US Attorney Charles Neil Floyd said.
“The arrest and return of Manjit Singh Bedi marks yet another significant moment for the historic FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters program,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “Thank you to FBI Seattle, as well as our brilliant law enforcement partners here in the US and in India, for assisting in securing Bedi's return.”
Floyd said the FBI would ask the court to detain Bedi pending trial because he had demonstrated the will and means to flee.
According to PTI, Bedi operated a small grocery shop called Asian Grocery Store in Tacoma, Washington state. He purportedly sold food to participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
After being charged with wire fraud and fraud involving SNAP benefits, Bedi was allowed to appear in court without being arrested. He was ordered to surrender his passport and remain in Washington state.
However, Bedi soon drove across the border into Canada and then fled to India, the FBI said.
“Thanks to the hard work of FBI Seattle investigators and our international law enforcement partners, as well as tips from the public about the subject's whereabouts, Bedi has been returned to the United States to face justice in a Tacoma courtroom,” W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Seattle field office, said.
Patel said Bedi had been charged with defrauding the US of at least USD 600,000 in SNAP funds between 2024 and 2025 and would now face proceedings over the alleged crimes, PTI reported.
“This is the latest in a tremendously successful run of returning high-value targets to the US by engaging with foreign partners – with over 260 removal actions in just 20 months, up approximately 70 per cent from the previous period,” Patel said.
Bedi, who allegedly fled the US after being ordered to remain in Washington state, has now been returned from India and is due to appear in a Tacoma court to face the fraud charges.
With PTI Inputs
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