Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri 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 today.
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, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, our country is moving forward with confidence on the global stage.
He emphasized that ensuring all dimensions of national security has become extremely crucial. He said that 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 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.
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.
Shri Amit Shah said that it should be our collective resolve that no matter how cunning a criminal may be, the reach of justice must be even swifter. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a strong India is moving forward to ensure not only border security but also the strengthening of the Rule of Law.
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. Shri 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. Shri Shah 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.
Shri Amit 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.
Shri Shah emphasized that by improving the process through seamless communication, a strategic approach, and organized execution, we can achieve this goal. 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. He further said that after Shri Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, many types of reforms have been implemented.
In 2018, we 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. Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government has replaced the 160-year-old colonial-era laws with three new criminal laws, which constitute the biggest reform of the 21st century.
He said that after 2027, justice will be delivered in any case up to the level of Supreme Court within three years. The Home Minister said that Sections 355 and 356 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) provide for Trial in Absentia.
He said that this provision has been included in the law for the first time since India’s independence. Shri Shah explained that if a person is declared a fugitive, the court can proceed with the trial even in their absence, by appointing a lawyer to represent them.
The Home Minister 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. Shri 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.
Shri Shah said that a focus group should be established within the police force of every state to coordinate on 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).
Shri Shah 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.
Shri Amit Shah said that the provision of Trial in Absentia should be used to the fullest extent, and every state should establish special prisons for fugitives in line with international standards. The Home Minister said that there is a need to develop coordination mechanisms and protocols between the passport issuance process and law enforcement agencies, so that when the process of issuing a Red Corner Notice begins against any passport holder, their passport can be red-flagged.
Shri Shah further said that a special campaign should be launched to convert existing Blue Corner Notices into Red Corner Notices, and a dedicated cell for this purpose should be created in every state. He added that under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), the CBI and IB should jointly establish a special task force to ensure smooth implementation of this entire process.
The Home Minister emphasized that India cannot be truly secure until those residing abroad who harm the country’s economy, sovereignty, and security begin to fear the Indian justice system.