CBI Calls for Reinforced International Legal Cooperation to Ensure No Fugitive Evades Justice
(Judicial Quest News Network)
Delhi, 18, October, 2025- Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on October 17, 2025, underlined the necessity of establishing a special cell dedicated to vetting all extradition requests before forwarding them to foreign authorities.
The remarks came during a two-day conference on ‘Extradition of Fugitives – Challenges and Strategies,’ held at Bharat Mandapam on October 16 and 17, 2025. The event was inaugurated by Minister Shah on the first day.
Union Home Secretary highlighted that the deliberations during the conference would shape the future strategy for handling extradition cases. Meanwhile, the Director of the CBI called for enhanced coordination among various agencies and the sharing of databases to create more synergy in efforts against wanted criminals abroad.
Minister Shah stressed the importance of a concerted approach among all agencies to ensure that fugitives evading Indian law enforcement overseas face justice in India. He reiterated the critical need for a dedicated cell to scrutinize extradition requests before they are submitted to foreign authorities.
The Home Minister had underscored the need for a coordinated and time-bound approach to ensure the return of wanted fugitives from abroad through appropriate legal and diplomatic channels. Acting on this mandate, the CBI brought together senior officials from across the enforcement and diplomatic spectrum to deliberate on practical and procedural challenges.
Over 200 officers representing 45 State and Central Law Enforcement Agencies, including officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), participated in the deliberations. The sessions focused on streamlining inter-agency coordination, overcoming procedural bottlenecks in extradition, and enhancing synergy between investigative, prosecutorial, and diplomatic arms of the government.
The conference underscored India’s firm resolve to ensure that no fugitive escapes the reach of justice, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to uphold the rule of law across borders through robust international cooperation and mutual legal assistance.
25 Panellists from different agencies including MEA, MHA, ED, NCB, FIU, NIA, NTRO, DRI, CBDT, Mumbai Police, INTERPOL and CBI made presentations on issues including effective use of channels available for seeking cooperation from abroad, use of technology in locating fugitive criminals, strategic approach for extradition of these fugitives and analysis of financial trail of fugitives.
Special focus was given on Narco, Terror, Cyber-crime, Organized criminals and Financial Offenders. The provisions of Fugitive Economic Offenders Act were also discussed for exploring the possibilities of taking action against the global assets of wanted fugitives. In one of the sessions, the focus was on targeting fund flows of fugitives and using Anti Money laundering framework to trace fugitives and their assets. An overview on how to use platforms and networks like EGMONT and ARIN-AP for tracing the illicit funds of criminals was also deliberated. A brief introduction of New INTERPOL Silver Notice, which targets illicit assets of criminals, was also given to participants.
Mr. Sadanand Date, Director General NIA discussed the provisions of New Criminal Laws with focus on Trial in Absentia and how these provisions can be used against the absconding offenders.
Director CBI Mr. Praveen Sood stressed on the need for the different agencies to come together and share their databases to bring more synergy in our efforts against wanted criminals.
Union Home Secretary Shri Govind Mohan chaired the valedictory session of the conference and emphasized that the deliberations of the two days conference would lay the road map for our future strategy. He emphasized that there is a need to improve our documentation so that our requests for assistance can withstand international legal scrutiny. He also elaborated on the steps and initiatives being taken by the home department to ensure that wanted fugitives are brought back to India.
On the occasion 35 officers from CBI who have been awarded with President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) and Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) were also felicitated. The event concluded with a reaffirmation to strengthen international collaboration in criminal matters and to make the process of extradition more efficient and effective.
