Question : Extradition from UK

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is considering to explore the possibility of signing an agreement with the UK on exchange of information about criminals;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether it is also true that as many as 131 extradition requests from India were pending with the UK Government;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(e) the details of action taken by the Government to extradite those persons as soon as possible?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) No, there is no proposal under consideration of the Government for signing an agreement with the UK on exchange of information about criminals. However, bilateral exchange of information about fugitive criminals comes under the ambit of mutual legal assistance covered under the India-UK Agreement Concerning the Investigations and Prosecution of Crime and the Tracing, Restraints and Confiscation of the Proceeds and Instrument of Crime (including currency transfers) & Terrorist Funds, which came into force in 1995.

(c) to (e) As on date, there are 16 extradition requests from India pending with the Government of United Kingdom. Our High Commission in London pursues these requests regularly with the concerned authorities in the UK. Bilateral discussions are also held with the UK side from time to time, on extradition and mutual legal assistance matters. The last such dialogue was held in October 2014. All the information/evidence available with us, have been provided to the UK authorities for speedy execution of our requests for extradition.