Most people extradited to India are economic offenders: data, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• A Belgian court has reviewed the extradition case of Mehul Choksi, wanted in India for the Punjab National Bank scam.
• The court found Choksi's documents insufficient to prove risk of ill-treatment if extradited, as India provided assurances regarding his safety.
• Economic offenders constitute over a third of all individuals extradited to India in the past two decades.
• In the last five years, India has sent 133 extradition requests, with 39 requests made in 2024 alone.
• The UAE and the U.S. account for 46% of all extraditions to India since 2002.

Detailed Insights:

• Extradition requests are initiated for cases under investigation, under trial, or for convicted criminals.
• India has extradition treaties with 48 countries/territories and extradition arrangements with 12 countries.
• In 2024, India made the highest number of extradition requests (39) in the 2020-2024 period.
• Between 2020 and 2024, India received 79 requests from foreign countries seeking the extradition of fugitives.
• Economic offenses account for 35% of extraditions to India since 2002, followed by terror-related activities at 27.5%.
• A delegation from the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service visited Tihar jail to assess prison conditions for facilitating extradition of economic offenders like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Extradition: The legal process where one country transfers a person to another country to face criminal charges or serve a sentence.
• Economic Offenses: Non-violent crimes usually involving fraud, theft, or dishonesty, often for financial gain.
• Extradition Treaty: A formal agreement between countries outlining the terms and conditions for extraditing individuals.