Arsh Dala, Lawrence Bishnoi... Why is it a big challenge to bring back fugitives to India? Know here

Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol Bishnoi arrested in the US. Arsh Dala was caught in Canada. The Indian government is trying to bring back both the gangsters. The extradition process is complicated and lengthy. Many fugitive criminals are hiding abroad. India has extradition treaties with many countries. Still, it is not easy to bring back criminals.

New Delhi: Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is lodged in a Gujarat jail, has been arrested in California, USA. Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, a declared terrorist operating the Bambiha Group, the arch-enemy of this crime syndicate, is in custody in Canada. The Indian government is in the process of deporting both of them. Actually, extradition from abroad i.e. bringing them to India is not easy. It is a long process, but after going through it and giving assurance to the concerned country, they can be brought to India.

There is a long list of accused who have fled abroad after committing heinous crimes like economic crimes and murder in the country. According to an estimate, their number is close to 300. In India, there are business tycoons who have committed scams worth billions of rupees and gangsters declared as terrorists. Indian intelligence agencies have so far traced the location of more than 180 fugitives, of which about 30 are business tycoons and about 26 are famous gangsters. Most of the fugitives are hiding in Britain, America, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

India has extradition treaties with 50 countries

including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Thailand, Russia, Germany and France, while it has arrangements with 12 countries including Sri Lanka, Italy, Armenia, New Zealand and Sweden. Despite this, there is a long legal process, even after which it is not easy to bring these fugitives to India. The Indian government has requested these countries for the extradition of more than 100 of its fugitives, which is pending for a long time. Most of them are in the US, UAE, Canada and UK.

Why is extradition difficult?

According to the Extradition Treaty, if a criminal from one country goes to another country, he has to be sent back. If a country appeals for the extradition of its fugitive, the criminal appeals in the court of that country or seeks asylum. He argues that his life is in danger in his country's jail or he may be killed on the way. Some accused even argue that the country's climate is not conducive to his health.

The guarantee has to be given

Experts say that Indian police and investigation agencies do not have a good image in the world. Before extradition to India, other countries want to ensure that there will be a fair trial, there will be no torture during interrogation, jail conditions should be good and the death penalty will not be given. If India fails to give these guarantees then extradition faces hurdles. Every country has its own law and its own procedure regarding extradition. Under international law, political, military and religious criminals cannot be extradited.

Criminals give such arguments

that getting deported from Britain is the most difficult. Poor medical facilities and overcrowding in Indian jails are against the human rights and extradition laws of that country. British citizen Raymond Varley, accused of sexually abusing 150 children in Goa, had said that the poor condition of Goa jail was a threat to his life. Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi had also cited the condition of jails. Musician Nadeem Saifi said that the allegations were not made with good intentions and were not in the interest of justice. This was taken as the basis.

India had to give assurance.

Underworld don Abu Salem was deported from Portugal in 2005, while Ravi Pujari was deported from Senegal in 2020 with the help of Interpol. In Abu Salem's case, India assured Portugal that he would not be awarded the death penalty. India had to work harder in the case of Don Ravi Pujari, who threatened Bollywood actress Shah Rukh Khan. Most of India's gangsters have gone abroad under fake names. Underworld don Chhota Rajan was deported from Indonesia in 2015.

Fugitives were brought to India

Note: Earlier, from 2002 to 2018, 66 fugitives were extradited from abroad.