Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 4: India has successfully brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026 as part of a strengthened campaign to ensure that offenders escaping Indian law by taking refuge abroad are brought to justice, the Centre said on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the achievement was driven by stronger legal mechanisms, increased international cooperation, coordinated efforts among multiple agencies and technology-based investigations under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a statement, the MHA said the previous governments lacked the political will to bring back fugitives, while the present government has made extradition of fugitive offenders a "national priority". It said Shah has described the issue as being directly linked to India's sovereignty, economic stability, law and order and national security.
According to the ministry, the government's strategy to tackle fugitive offenders rests on three key pillars — global outreach, stronger coordination and smart diplomacy.
The legal framework has been strengthened through measures including the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2019, along with provisions under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) allowing trials in absentia under Sections 355 and 356.
To improve international coordination, the government launched BHARATPOL in January 2025, an integrated platform connecting more than 1,400 state and central law enforcement agencies with INTERPOL.
The MHA said the platform has significantly reduced the time taken for information exchange, with responses in some cases being received within three to 10 days.
The ministry also highlighted a rise in INTERPOL Red Corner Notices issued against fugitives. The number increased from 40 in 2022 to 100 in 2023, 107 in 2024, 112 in 2025 and 182 in 2026 so far. Overall, 401 Red Corner Notices have been issued against fugitive criminals during the past three years.
The government said technology-driven operations such as 'Operation Trishul' have helped track absconders using satellite inputs, surveillance systems, digital footprints and profile mapping, especially in cases where fugitives changed identities while hiding overseas.
Video conferencing facilities have also been used to speed up extradition proceedings, the ministry added.
On financial enforcement, the Centre said properties and assets worth Rs 17,874 crore belonging to fugitive criminals were attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) between 2019 and 2026. During the same period, restitution amounting to Rs 762 crore was carried out, including recoveries linked to economic offenders who had fled the country.
The fugitives brought back to India include those wanted in cases related to terrorism, organised crime, financial fraud, narcotics trafficking, murder, rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The MHA said the campaign covers cases involving terrorism, pro-Khalistan extremism, the gangster-terror nexus, narcotics trafficking, cyber fraud and fake currency. It cited the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the United States as a major example of India's legal and diplomatic efforts in pursuing complex terror-related cases.
The ministry also stated that fugitives operating from foreign countries have been used in some cases to support terrorism, narco-terrorism and cross-border networks, particularly in matters related to Jammu and Kashmir.
The extradition drive has involved close coordination among agencies including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) and state police forces.
The MHA said a Standing Focus Group under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) was established in January 2026 to further strengthen India's fugitive management system and improve coordination among agencies involved in tracking and extraditing offenders.