Set up task force for extradition requests: House panel to MEA

The parliamentary committee on external affairs further expressed disappointment over the ministry not heeding its recommendation in an earlier report to set up the inter-ministerial task force.

The external affairs ministry should set up a task force to examine pending extradition requests made by India to various countries and to suggest ways to tackle this matter, a parliamentary panel said in a report on Wednesday.

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The parliamentary committee on external affairs further expressed disappointment over the ministry not heeding its recommendation in an earlier report to set up the inter-ministerial task force.

The panel said this recommendation was made because of concerns about the large number of requests made to different countries under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) framework that were pending. It had noted that 845 MLAT requests, including letters rogatory and mutual legal assistance requests, were pending with different countries.

“The committee had desired that the Ministry of External Affairs establish a task force to look into the reasons for the pendency and suggest measures for prompt fructification of all extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance requests pending with various countries,” it said.

In its report tabled in Parliament, the panel said that the external affairs ministry had informed it issues of extradition and mutual legal assistance were being taken up with the concerned countries during meetings of bilateral joint working groups for counter-terrorism. The ministry also said such matters are pursued by Indian missions with the respective countries.

“While taking note that inter-ministerial jurisdictional cooperation is necessitated to ensure speedy action in the matter, the committee are disappointed to note that the ministry’s reply is silent on the recommendation of setting up of a task force to look into the matter,” the report said.

It added the parliamentary committee is of the firm view that setting up a task force comprising all ministries will bolster efforts related to extradition and mutual legal assistance requests.

“The committee, therefore, reiterate their earlier recommendation that the ministry to make serious efforts to institute a task force to look into the reasons for the delay in honouring of the extradition requests and suggest measures for the prompt fructification of all extradition and MLAT requests pending with various countries and apprise the committee accordingly,” the report said.

The panel also reiterated its earlier recommendation to the ministry to include more countries in the network for mutual and automated exchange of financial information to fight economic crimes. “In their action taken reply, the ministry has informed that the government of India has mandated Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU-India) for sharing information relating to the fight against financial crimes,” it said.

The committee noted that the ministry had stated that where necessary, a representative of FIU-India and relevant agencies are included in the Indian delegation participating in meetings of joint working groups for counter-terrorism to exchange information on countering financing of terrorism.

AS the FIU works under the control of the finance ministry, the committee urged the external affairs ministry to take up the matter with the finance ministry and push for including countries in the network for automated exchange of financial information.