New Delhi: Union Minister of state (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Thursday said that more than 1.8 billion US dollar worth assets have been recovered from economic offenders and fugitives in the last about four years, after Economic Offenders Act came into force, while the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has helped in attaching the assets of offenders worth more than 12 billion US Dollar since 2014.
Dr Singh disclosed this in his address at the first-ever "International Day of Police Cooperation" after conferring Indian Police Medals to distinguished CBI officers at an Investiture Ceremony at CBI headquarters here, Office of the Ministry of Personnel said in a communiqué.
The Minister said there has been a quantum jump in extradition of criminals and fugitives in recent years especially after India hosted 90th Interpol General Assembly in October 2022.
He said while this year so far 19 criminals/fugitives have returned to India, in the previous years, on an average around 10 criminals/fugitives have returned to India with 27 returning in 2022 and 18 in 2021, it said.
Dr Jitendra underlined that the marked increase in the return of criminals/fugitives to India, is the result of enhanced cooperation policing between India and other countries pursuant to the 90th Interpol General Assembly held in Delhi in October 2022.
Speaking about the enactment of the Economic Offenders Act in 2018, he said, the Central government is aggressively pursuing with economic offenders, fugitives and money launderers and informing them about the recovery and attachment of their huge assets, the Minister said.
The Minister recalled that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who presented a nine-point agenda for action against Fugitive Economic Offenders and Asset Recovery at the G-20 Summit in 2018 and expressed happiness that decisive steps are being taken by the working group.
The Minister was happy to note that the United Nations General Assembly on December 16, 2022 adopted a historic resolution to designate September 7 as the International Day of Police Cooperation, to be observed starting in 2023. The resolution emphasizes ‘the need to strengthen international cooperation at the global, regional and sub-regional levels in various areas related to preventing and combating transnational crime, in particular transnational organized crime, and preventing and countering terrorism’, he noted.
He was pleased to note that this year is the Diamond Jubilee Year of CBI and in its 60 years of existence, it has emerged as India’s premier investigation and anti-corruption agency and internally evolved as a capable organization to handle investigations ranging from bribery and corruption, sensational and complicated cases handed over by States and Constitutional Courts besides economic offences, and banking frauds.
On account of its sheer professionalism and integrity, this bureau has gained the confidence of the executive, judiciary, legislature, and the common man.
“Needless to say that the basic principles in fighting crime will never change and stronger international police cooperation in the proposed framework will ensure that police all around the world are connected,” said Dr Jitendra Singh. (UNI)