Dr.Jitendra Singh inaugurates the first ever International Day of Police Cooperation and the Investiture Ceremony at CBI Headquarters; presents Police Medals to 35 CBI officers for Distinguished & Meritorious Service;
This year so far 19 criminals/fugitives have returned to India, in the previous years, around 10 criminals/fugitives returned to India with 27 returning in 2022 and 18 in 2021, Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Over 1.8 billion US Dollar worth assets have been recovered from economic offenders and fugitives in the last about four years, after Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi brought in the Economic Offenders Act, while the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has helped in attaching the assets of offenders worth more than 12 billion US Dollars since 2014.
This was disclosed today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in his inaugural address at the first-ever “International Day of Police Cooperation” after conferring Indian Police Medals to distinguished CBI officers at an Investiture Ceremony at CBI Headquarters in New Delhi.
The Minister said, there has been a quantum jump in extradition of criminals and fugitives in recent years especially after India hosted 90th Interpol General Assembly in October 2022 at Delhi, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said, while this year so far 19 criminals/fugitives have returned to India, in the previous years, on an average around 10 criminals/fugitives have returned to India with 27 returning in 2022 and 18 in 2021.
Speaking about the enactment of the Economic Offenders Act in 2018, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Modi Government is aggressively pursuing economic offenders and informed about the recovery and attachment of huge assets from economic offenders and fugitives and money launderers.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, it is unique providential co-incidence that G20 Summit is happening tomorrow and the Ministry of Personnel has already deliberated the Anti-Corruption Working Group Meets in Gurugram, Rishikesh and Kolkata and there is forward movement in areas like action-oriented High-Level Principles on three priority areas, namely, law enforcement cooperation through information sharing, strengthening asset recovery mechanisms, and enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of anti-corruption authorities.
Dr.Jitendra Singh recalled that it was Prime Minister Modi, who presented a nine-point agenda for action against Fugitive Economic Offenders and Asset Recovery at the G-20 Summit in 2018 and expressed happiness that decisive steps are being taken by the working group.
Dr. Jitendra Singh was happy to note that the United Nations General Assembly on 16th December, 2022 adopted a historic resolution to designate 7th September as the International Day of Police Cooperation, to be observed starting in 2023. The resolution emphasizes ‘the need to strengthen international cooperation at the global, regional and sub-regional levels in various areas related to preventing and combating transnational crime, in particular transnational organized crime, and preventing and countering terrorism.’ The selected date for annual observance on 7th September, coincides with the date when INTERPOL’s predecessor the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC) was created in 1923, he noted.
The Minister was informed that a special theme of the inaugural International Day of Police Cooperation is the recognition of the vital importance of women in policing. INTERPOL is observing its Centenary year in 2023 and is the world’s largest police organization with 195 member countries.
The Minister was pleased to note that 2023 is the Diamond Jubilee Year of CBI and in its 60 years of existence, CBI has emerged as India’s premier investigation and anti-corruption agency and internally evolved as a capable organization to handle investigations ranging from bribery and corruption, sensational and complicated cases handed over by States and Constitutional Courts, economic offences, and banking frauds. On account of its sheer professionalism and integrity, this bureau has gained the confidence of the executive, judiciary, legislature, and the common man.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the litmus test for any organization is to win the trust of the people and added that CBI has not only gained the trust of public, but keeping pace with the fast changing socio-economic and technical milieu, it has also established niche specialized investigative units to handle investigations pertaining to On-line Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, Trafficking in human beings, drugs, wild life, cultural properties, and crimes in digital space.
“Needless to say that the basic principles in fighting crime will never change and stronger international police cooperation in the proposed framework will ensure that police all around the world are connected”. This needs to be a guiding principle when we confront the challenges of fighting crime and security challenges in the 21st Century, the Minister added.
Later, Dr Jitendra Singh gave away police medals to CBI officers and congratulated the awardees and their family members. He also wished all the best to the CBI and its officers.
Praveen Sood, Director, CBI while congratulating the medal winners on the occasion, said that today’s event assumes significant as it is being organized on first-ever International Day for Police Cooperation. He underlined the importance of International Police Cooperation stating that CBI as National Central Bureau for Interpol, has played an important role in facilitating resolution of complex investigation cases, availability of evidence from abroad, extradition/deportation of criminals/fugitives. Shri Sood also pointed out that CBI has kept pace with the rapidly evolving challenges of crime, changes in technologies and the global policing practices. Director, CBI, also underlined that as a result of growing international police cooperation, there has been significant increase in return of criminals and fugitives from abroad.
Sood underscored the importance of keeping pace with police cooperation across global jurisdictions. In the light of this, he stated that 02 important Sessions on “Leveraging Interpol’s Operation Capabilities” & “Utilization of MHA Portal for International Mutual Legal Assistance” are being held as part of 9th Interpol Liaison Officers Conference on the occasion of International Day of Police Cooperation.
Today’s event comes in the wake of the United Nations General Assembly’s historic resolution of December, 2022 designating 7th September as the International Day of Police Cooperation, to be observed in 2023. This day recognizes the essential work of the world’s law enforcement community in global security.
CBI as National Central Bureau of INTERPOL for India, coordinates with all Central and State/UT law enforcement agencies through INTERPOL Liaison Officers(ILOs). The spectre of transnational crimes, cyber crimes, terrorism, human trafficking and myriad emerging threats, require close international police cooperation. ILO’s conference seeks to further strengthen this existing coordination and is also a mechanism for capacity building in these matters. This is a platform, which brings together officers from State & UT Police forces and Central Agencies to discuss the issues of International Police Cooperation and work towards a common goal of making the existing system more effective. During this one day in-person conference dedicated interactive sessions were focussed on leveraging operational capabilities of INTERPOL and on utilization of Mutual Legal Assistance Portal of MHA. India had hosted the 90th INTERPOL General Assembly in October, 2022, the world’s largest law enforcement gathering. In January 2023, India also hosted the INTERPOL Young Global Police leaders programme which brought together a select group of aspiring young law enforcement officials to explore emerging trends in policing and provide them with mentoring. Recently, CBI Academy joined the INTERPOL Global Academy Network and will emerge as a global centre for law enforcement training in coordination with INTERPOL.
Ajay Bhatnagar, Special Director, CBI proposed the Vote of Thanks. The event was attended by among others, Senior Officers of Department of Personnel & Training, Interpol Liaison Officers, CBI Officers and family of Medal Winners.
