News Brief
Union Home Minister Amit Shah (File Photo)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday (20 September) directed investigative and intelligence agencies to ensure time-bound extradition of Indian fugitives and to jointly establish a standard operating procedure (SOP) for preparing dossiers on criminals involved in terrorism, narcotics, and arms smuggling, reported The New Indian Express.
At the National Security Strategies Conference-2025 organised by the Intelligence Bureau and the National Conference of the Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Forces (ANTF) convened by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Shah reportedly issued the direction to agencies, particularly the CBI to coordinate.
He emphasised that agencies must prepare dossiers within a month and designate dedicated teams of officers and advocates to secure the return of fugitives through legal and diplomatic channels.
Shah reportedly asked the CBI to hold a workshop with multiple agencies to streamline the extradition process.
CBI data shows the agency facilitated the return of 137 fugitives from various countries in the past five years—nearly double the total repatriated between 2010 and 2019.
At the anti-drug meet earlier this week, Shah pressed for a joint mechanism between the NCB and CBI to bring back foreign criminals involved in drug trafficking, stating, “the time has come to bring those operating drug trades from abroad under the ambit of Indian law.”