States to set up Expert Special Cell to speed up extradition cases

Subhashis Mittra

A robust mechanism is on the anvil to bring under the ambit of law all offenders from beyond India’s borders. The government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, crime and terrorism.

Union home minister Amit Shah said this while addressing a conference on ‘Extradition of Fugitives—Challenges and Strategies’ in New Delhi. Acting on the suggestion he made about a year and a half ago, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has implemented the concept of fugitive extradition on the ground.

Amit Shah Refugees

As India is actively ensuring the security of borders as well as strengthening the rule of law, said Shah, “We must also adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards those indulging in such activities from beyond India’s borders. It is our responsibility to bring all such criminals under the purview of Indian laws and to create a robust mechanism for this purpose.”

The home minister said that this conference, with the provisions available under Interpol and three new criminal laws, is a concerted effort to enable the presence of a fugitive criminal before Indian courts and also provides a roadmap for achieving the same. “It should be our collective resolve that no matter how cunning a criminal may be, the reach of justice must be even swifter.”

The government introduced the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act in 2018, which empowers authorities to confiscate the assets of fugitives located in the country. More than USD 2 billion has been recovered within just four years of the enactment of this act. Money laundering laws have also been strengthened, leading to the attachment of assets worth around USD 12 billion between 2014 and 2023.