Several fugitives, including Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, have raised the issue of ‘poor conditions’ of Indian prisons to counter their extradition in foreign courts
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday called for a decisive and “ruthless approach” in pursuing and prosecuting fugitives, including economic offenders, cyber criminals, and terrorists, who attempt to escape the reach of India’s justice system from abroad. Addressing a national conference on “Extradition of Fugitives: Challenges and Strategies” organised by the CBI, the minister stressed that the “time has come” for a coordinated mechanism to bring every offender before Indian law in a time-bound manner.
Shah stated that a zero-tolerance policy must be adopted not just against crime and corruption within the country, but also towards those who operate from foreign soil, threatening India’s economy, sovereignty, and security. He highlighted that the goal is to eliminate the “assurance” in the minds of fugitives that Indian law cannot reach them and to dismantle their ecosystem of legal, financial, and political support abroad.
In a key strategic instruction, the Home Minister urged all state governments to establish at least one prison cell that meets international human rights standards. This is a direct measure aimed at countering the common defence strategy used by high-profile fugitives in foreign courts, where they often argue that the “poor standards” of Indian jails would violate their human rights, thereby blocking extradition. Creating these high-standard detention facilities, Shah argued, will eliminate this legal loophole and enhance India’s international credibility. Several fugitives, including Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Mehul Choksi, have raised the issue of “poor conditions” of Indian prisons to counter their extradition in foreign courts.
The Home Minister also underscored the impact of recent legislative reforms, such as the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, which has empowered the government to seize the properties of economic offenders, leading to the recovery of approximately USD 2 billion within four years. Furthermore, he noted that the strengthening of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has led to the attachment of assets worth about USD 12 billion between 2014 and 2023.