New Delhi, 04 August (H.S.): India has brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries since 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a detailed statement issued on Tuesday. The ministry stated that making stringent action against fugitives a national priority, the government has strengthened extradition mechanisms, international cooperation, and technology-driven systems.

According to the ministry, the implementation of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act in 2018 provided fresh momentum to action against absconders. Following amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2019, a mission-mode campaign was launched from 2020 to bring back fugitives. The three new criminal laws implemented in 2024 also introduced provisions for trial in absentia against fugitive accused persons.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that between 2004 and 2013, India was able to secure the extradition of only four fugitive criminals on average, while 110 extradition requests remained pending. During that period, limited extradition treaties, a weak legal framework, and lack of coordination among various agencies were major challenges.

The ministry said that international cooperation was further strengthened after the Interpol General Assembly held in India in 2022. Through the Bharatpol platform launched in January 2025, more than 1,400 units of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), state police forces, and central investigative agencies have been integrated, enabling faster information sharing and expediting extradition procedures.

The government stated that assets worth around Rs 17,874 crore belonging to fugitive criminals were seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) between 2019 and 2026. There has also been a significant rise in the issuance of Interpol Red Corner Notices. A total of 40 notices were issued in 2022, 100 in 2023, 107 in 2024, 112 in 2025, and 182 till July 2026. In the last three years alone, 401 Red Corner Notices have been issued.

According to the ministry, among the 274 fugitives brought back between 2019 and July 2026, 62 were accused of murder, robbery, and other violent crimes; 53 were involved in sexual offences and POCSO cases; 42 were linked to organised crime and gangster activities; 18 were accused in human trafficking and kidnapping cases; 17 were associated with terrorism and anti-national activities; 16 were involved in drug trafficking; and nine were accused of economic and financial crimes.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that under Operation Trishul, fugitives hiding abroad were tracked with the help of Interpol using advanced technologies such as satellite inputs, digital footprint analysis, and profile mapping. In several cases, accused persons had changed their identities and names, but Indian agencies successfully traced them with technological assistance.

The ministry highlighted the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the United States as a significant example of India's legal, diplomatic, and international cooperation capabilities. The government further stated that the return of fugitive criminals is the result of a coordinated whole-of-government approach involving various agencies of the Central and state governments. The establishment of a permanent focus group under the Intelligence Bureau's Multi Agency Centre (MAC) in January 2026 was also described as a major institutional step in this direction.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar