India Brings Back 274 Fugitive Offenders From 36 Countries Since 2021: MHA

India has brought back 274 fugitive offenders from 36 countries between 2021 and 2026 as part of a strengthened campaign to track down criminals hiding overseas, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday. The ministry said the increase in extradition and deportation efforts was driven by intelligence-based operations, international cooperation and improved coordination among law enforcement agencies.

The MHA said the government has strengthened the legal framework for dealing with fugitives through measures including the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, and other institutional mechanisms. According to the ministry, India had extradition treaties with only 37 countries before 2014 and did not have a dedicated law to deal with economic offenders who fled abroad or to confiscate their assets.

The ministry said that between 2004 and 2013, India secured the return of only four fugitives annually on average, while around 110 extradition requests remained pending. It added that the government has since expanded diplomatic engagement, improved global partnerships and used technology-driven methods to identify and locate offenders living outside the country.

Also Read: Nirmala Sitharaman Says India To Become $5 Trillion Economy By FY29, Cites IMF

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said a three-pronged approach involving international outreach, stronger coordination between agencies and diplomatic efforts had improved India’s ability to bring fugitives back for legal proceedings. He said offenders who escape abroad pose risks to national security, economic stability and law enforcement, adding that new legal provisions have helped close gaps previously exploited by criminals.

Shah said intelligence-led operations and the introduction of trial in absentia provisions under India’s new criminal laws have strengthened the justice system’s ability to proceed against absconding accused persons. He also highlighted enforcement action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), stating that assets worth Rs 17,874 crore belonging to fugitive criminals had been confiscated, while Rs 18,762 crore had been returned or recovered in cases involving economic offenders.

The MHA said India has also increased the use of international mechanisms, with 401 INTERPOL Red Corner Notices issued against fugitive criminals in the last three years. It highlighted initiatives such as Operation Trishul, which uses technology, digital information, surveillance inputs and identity profiling to trace offenders attempting to evade law enforcement by changing locations or identities abroad.

The offenders brought back to India include individuals 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 government cited the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the United States as one of the major successes in recent years.

The MHA said the progress has been achieved through coordinated efforts involving agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Research and Analysis Wing, National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, Ministry of External Affairs, Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate General of GST Intelligence and state police forces. It added that a Standing Focus Group under the Multi Agency Centre was established in January 2026 to further improve coordination and speed up action against absconding offenders.

Also Read: India Rejects PoK Polls As 'Complete Farce' Amid Fresh Diplomatic Spar