New Delhi, Oct 3: The Modi government has brought back 288 fugitives from 36 countries since 2019, with the latest being alleged narco-trafficking kingpin Navpreet Singh, who was deported from Türkiye.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated all agencies involved in securing Singh’s deportation. In a post on X, Shah said Singh had obtained Turkish citizenship under the fake identity of Navab Virk and continued to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine to India from Afghanistan. He was brought back to India and arrested in connection with drug trafficking and other criminal cases.
Shah said the government is committed to destroying every narco-cartel before December 2029.
The government has been pursuing a coordinated campaign to bring fugitives back to India. Since 2019, 288 fugitives from 36 countries have been brought back.
The government has made extradition of fugitives a priority and has adopted a three-pronged strategy involving global outreach, stronger coordination and diplomacy.
The NIA (Amendment) Act and UAPA (Amendment) Act were enacted in 2019. From 2020, efforts to bring fugitive offenders back to India were pursued in mission mode. The scope of action was expanded to individual terrorists, handlers, funding networks and support systems based abroad.
In January 2025, Shah launched BHARATPOL to strengthen coordination and information-sharing between Indian and global law enforcement agencies. More than 1,400 units of State and Central agencies have been connected through the platform.
The government has also stepped up enforcement of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Between 2019 and 2026, assets worth ₹17,874 crore belonging to fugitive criminals were attached.
Over the past three years, Red Corner Notices have been issued against 401 fugitive criminals. Of these, 182 were issued till July 2026.