Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressed the conference on ‘Extradition of Fugitives: Challenges and Strategies’ organised by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as the Chief Guest in New Delhi.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the Union Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In his address, HM Amit Shah said while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, crime, and terrorism within the country, we must also adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards those operating 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 Union Home Minister said that, acting on the suggestion he had made about a year and a half ago, the CBI has implemented the concept of fugitive extradition on the ground, and the organization deserves appreciation for this.
The Home Minister emphasized that the two-day conference will ensure coordination among Global Operation, Strong Coordination, and Smart Diplomacy. He also said that the theme of the conference is extremely imprtant and relevant. The discussions and measures suggested during this conference will prove highly beneficial for national security, the country’s economic prosperity, and overcoming policy complexities.
Shah highlighted that the conference will feature meaningful discussions across seven sessions on various topics, including cyber technology, financial crimes, tracing the source and flow of funds, simplifying complex extradition processes, bringing fugitives back, creating a database of their geographical locations, and utilizing this mechanism through cooperation with international police.
Union Home Minister said that the issue of fugitive criminals is linked to the country’s sovereignty, economic stability, law and order, and national security. After a long time, a structured approach is being developed on this subject. He said that the time has come to ensure a system that adopts a ruthless approach and brings every fugitive before the Indian justice system in a time-bound manner. He emphasized that two elements—assurance and ecosystem—are essential to apprehend any fugitive. He stressed the need to eliminate the assurance in the minds of fugitive criminals that the law cannot reach them. Moreover, the ecosystem of legal, financial, and political support must also be dismantled. The institutional nexus created by fugitives abroad must also be eradicated.
Shah said that the Indian extradition system requires two key elements—purpose and process. The Home Minister outlined that our extradition system should have five objectives: ensuring the reach of justice beyond borders, strengthening national security by making the identification system state-of-the-art and precise, enhancing our international credibility regarding law and judicial systems, protecting the economic system while involving other countries in our concerns, and gaining global acceptance for the Rule of Law.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that with the cooperation of the CBI, every state must establish a unit dedicated for creating a mechanism for bringing back fugitives who have committed crimes and fled the state. He emphasized that this effort must be accelerated through a Whole of Government approach.
In 2018, government introduced the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, which empowered the government to seize the assets of economic fugitives located in India. Over the past four years, the government has recovered nearly 2 billion dollars under this law. He said that the Money Laundering Act has been made more stringent and robust, and between 2014 and 2023, assets worth about 12 billion dollars have been attached.
The CBI has established a special Global Operation Centre at the international level to catch fugitives worldwide, which is coordinating in real time with police agencies across the globe. Shri Shah said that from January to September this year, more than 190 Red Corner Notices have been issued, which is the highest in the history of the CBI. Under ‘Operation Trishul’, significant action has been taken, yielding effective results. Similarly, since the establishment of BHARATPOL in January 2025, encouraging outcomes have been achieved.
He added that once a fugitive is convicted in absentia, it brings a significant change to that person’s status under international law. He emphasized that the provision of Trial in Absentia available under the BNSS should be used to the fullest extent, and trials of fugitives should proceed even in their absence.
Union Home Minister said that the actionable points emerging from this conference, along with BHARATPOL and the Trial in Absentia provisions, should be integrated to create a mechanism that exists within both the state police forces and all central agencies, with the CBI officially overseeing it. He emphasized the need to establish a robust system for sharing the database of fugitives with police forces across the entire country.
Shah further said that a focused coordination group should be set up within every state police force to deal with narcotics, terrorism, gangsters, and financial and cyber crimes. He added that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the CBI should work to strengthen and accelerate this focus group through the Multi Agency Centre (MAC). He further said that every state police force should quickly set up an Expert Special Cell to ensure effective preparation of extradition cases. To guide these Special Cells, a dedicated division within the CBI should also be established to review extradition requests.
HM Amit Shah also presented Medals for Distinguished and Meritorious Service to the CBI officers. Shri Pramod Kumar, ASP, CBI, ACB, Mumbai was presented President’s Medal For Distinguished Service- Independence Day- 2024 by the HM Amit Shah.
The awardees who were presented Medal For Meritorious Service- Republic Day- 2024 by the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation include: Ms. Sumedha Dwivedi, IPS/HOZ, Chandigarh Zone; Shri Veeresh Prabhu Sanganakal, IPS/DIG, CBI, BSFB, Mumbai; Shri Amit Vikram Bharadwaj, ASP, CBI, BSFB, Mumbai (Retired); Shri Prakasha Kamalappa, DSP, CBI, ACB, Cochin and Ms. Akansha Gupta, DSP, CBI, Academy, Ghaziabad.
The awardees who were presented Medal For Meritorious Service- Independence Day- 2024 by the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation include: Shri Mohammad Suvez Haque, DIG, CBI, HO, New Delhi; Shri Tathagat Vardan, ASP, CBI, BSFB, New Delhi; Shri Krishna Kumar Singh, DSP, CBI, ACB, Ranchi (Now ASP, CBI, AC-III); Shri Darshan Singh, Inspector, CBI, HO, New Delhi; Shri Satyajit Haldar, ASI, CBI, ACB, Kolkata; Shri Lalta Prasad, HC, CBI, SC-II, New Delhi; Shri Subhash Chand, HC, CBI, SU, New Delhi; Shri Onkar Das Vaishnav, HC, CBI, STB, New Delhi; Shri Sadi Raju Reddy, HC, CBI, ACB, Bhubneshwar; Shri Sivakumr Subramaniyam, Constable, STB, Chennai and Ms. Sampada Sanjeev Revankar, SCS, CBI, BSFB, Mumbai.
The awardees who were presented Asadharan Aasuchana Kushalata Padak- 2023 by the Hon’ble Minister Shri Amit Shah include: Shri Satyamoorthy T, DSP, CBI, SU, Chennai (Retired); Shri Anand Rajaram Pandhare, HC, CBI, SU, Mumbai and Shri Vibhanshu Kori, Constable, CBI, ACB, Bhopal.
Senior police officers from various Central and State Police agencies are participating in the Two-day conference to deliberate on issues of International Police Cooperation to track fugitives and coordinate efforts to bring them back to face criminal justice in India. |
