India calls for strong international cooperation to bring back fugitive economic offenders: Jitendra Singh

While addressing a UNGA Special Session on challenges and measures to fight corruption, Union Minister Jitendra Singh called for a strong and aligned global cooperation on the return of fugitive economic offenders to India.

India has called for a strong and aligned global cooperation on the return of fugitive economic offenders and assets sought for such offences, consistent with international obligations and domestic legal systems, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Friday. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Special Session on Challenges and Measures to fight corruption on Friday night, Jitendra Singh said that amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, India has made it clear that the world is also combatting another serious emerging challenge of fugitive economic offenders who flee across national jurisdictions. "As the accused take shelter in foreign countries and conceal the proceeds of crime in complex legal structures spread over different countries and jurisdictions, the gaps and weaknesses of international cooperation in this area are fully exploited by such fugitives to their advantage," the minister was quoted as saying in an official statement.