A Belgian court recently cleared the way for the extradition of fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, one of the main accused in the Punjab National Bank scam, marking a key moment in India’s efforts to bring back economic offenders.
India’s Push for Extradition
- India has intensified its global campaign to extradite fugitives accused of economic offences, terrorism, and serious crimes.
- The Ministry of External Affairs and investigative agencies have been coordinating with foreign governments to ensure that offenders face trial in India.
- India currently has extradition treaties with 48 countries and arrangements with 12 others, enabling cooperation in criminal cases.
Recent Developments
- Mehul Choksi Case: The Belgian court ruled that Choksi’s claims of potential mistreatment in Indian jails were unsubstantiated. India assured Belgium about humane conditions and fair trial standards.
- U.K. Cooperation: A U.K. Crown Prosecution Service team inspected Tihar Jail to assess conditions before extraditing economic fugitives such as Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.
Trends in Extradition Data
- Increased Efforts: India made 133 extradition requests in the past five years, including 39 in 2024, the highest during 2020–2024.
- Foreign Requests: India also received 79 extradition requests from other countries in the same period.
- Dominant Offences:
- Economic crimes (35%) — fraud, forgery, and cheating.
- Terror-related offences (27.5%) — including cases like Tahawwur Rana (26/11 conspiracy).
- Murder and violent crimes (21%) — also among common reasons for extradition.
- Other cases include drug trafficking and sexual offences.
Country-Wise Breakdown
- Extraditions have been secured from 26 countries since 2002.
- UAE and the U.S. together account for 46% of all extraditions, with 25 from UAE and 12 from the U.S.
- Other countries include Canada, U.K., Thailand, and Mauritius.
Significance
- India’s proactive extradition efforts reflect a stronger global stance against financial crimes and terrorism.
- Successful cases enhance judicial credibility and deterrence against economic fugitives who flee abroad.
Conclusion
India’s growing success in extraditing fugitives—especially economic offenders—signals its determination to uphold accountability across borders. Strengthened diplomatic cooperation and legal assurances are key to sustaining this momentum.
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