The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday said that 274 fugitive criminals were brought back to India from 36 countries between 2019 and 2026 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.According to a PIB release, the government said that the extradition of fugitives was made a "national priority", in contrast to previous governments, which it claimed lacked the political will to pursue such cases effectively.
The MHA said India has developed an integrated, intelligence-driven and technology-enabled framework to trace and repatriate fugitives. The strategy, it said, rests on three pillars—global operations, stronger inter-agency coordination and smart diplomacy.
The ministry stated that the issue of fugitive criminals is linked to the country's sovereignty, economic stability, law and order, and national security. It added that the process of bringing fugitives back to India has been pursued in "mission mode" under Amit Shah's guidance, backed by legal and institutional reforms.
According to the release, the government enacted the NIA (Amendment) Act and the UAPA (Amendment) Act in 2019 and later introduced three new criminal laws in 2024. For the first time, Sections 355 and 356 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) provide for trial in absentia, enabling legal proceedings against accused persons who remain outside India.
The MHA also highlighted the launch of BHARATPOL in January 2025, describing it as a platform connecting over 1,400 units of central and state agencies with INTERPOL to facilitate faster information sharing. It said the response time for sharing information has been reduced to 3–10 days in some cases.
The government further said that 401 Red Corner Notices have been issued against fugitives over the last three years. It added that Operation Trishul has been used to trace fugitives hiding abroad through satellite technology, surveillance and digital footprint analysis, even in cases where identities had allegedly been changed.
The ministry also said that strict enforcement of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) led to the attachment of ₹17,874 crore worth of assets belonging to fugitives between 2019 and 2026, while ₹18,762 crore was recovered through restitution during the same period, including money linked to economic offenders who had fled the country.
As per the year-wise data released by the MHA, 274 fugitives were brought back between 2019 and July 2026. These included accused wanted in cases related to murder, organised crime, sexual offences, terrorism, narcotics, financial fraud, human trafficking, cybercrime and other serious offences.
The ministry said India's success in repatriating fugitives has been driven by improved legal preparedness, sustained diplomatic engagement and close coordination among agencies including the IB, CBI, R&AW, NIA, ED, MEA, NCB, DGGI and state police forces. It described the approach as a "Whole of Government" model aimed at ensuring timely justice and strengthening national security.
