Shillong: India brought home 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026. The government aims to stop offenders from dodging the law. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah lead the push. They tightened legal frameworks to get the job done.
The Ministry of Home Affairs claims previous administrations lacked the drive for this work. In a statement, the Ministry noted, “The Modi government has made the extradition of fugitives a ‘national priority’… Amit Shah has described the issue of fugitive offenders as one that is intrinsically linked to the country’s sovereignty, economic stability, law and order, and national security.” Officials rely on the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, amendments to the NIA Act, and the UAPA. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita now allows trials in absentia under Sections 355 and 356.
They launched BHARATPOL in January 2025. It links 1,400 agencies with INTERPOL. Responses now arrive in three to ten days. INTERPOL Red Corner Notices have surged. The count hit 182 in 2026 alone. Total notices issued over three years reached 401. Operation Trishul helps find fugitives who hide their identities. It uses satellite data, digital footprints, and profile mapping.
Financial authorities seized assets worth Rs 17,874 crore under the PMLA since 2019. Restitution payments hit Rs 762 crore. These criminals face charges ranging from terror and narcotics to financial fraud and crimes under the POCSO Act. Authorities point to the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana from the United States as a win for their legal and diplomatic strategy.
Agencies now work in tighter lockstep. The list includes the CBI, IB, R&AW, NIA, ED, NCB, and the Ministry of External Affairs. A Standing Focus Group under the Multi Agency Centre launched in January 2026 to keep the pressure on. This group coordinates efforts against terrorism, the gangster-terror nexus, and cyber fraud. They target those using foreign soil to fund narco-terrorism, especially regarding Jammu and Kashmir.
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