(LiveMint)
The Parliament approved a legislation to help the government bring back fugitives involved in white-collar crimes to stand trial in India. The fugitive economic offenders bill, 2018 will become law after the President’s assent and will empower the government to seize both local and overseas assets of alleged offenders, such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, who chose not to return to India to face the law even after arrest warrants were issued.
This will help the government confiscate properties of fugitives even before they are convicted, said finance minister Piyush Goyal in his reply to the debate in Rajya Sabha. The ministry of external affairs informed Parliament on Wednesday that 28 Indians involved in financial irregularities had fled the country in the period between 2015 and 30 June 2018. The list was compiled by the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate (ED), and includes names like Mallya, Nirav Modi and his brother Neeshal Modi, Lalit Modi and Choksi. Messages sent to lawyers of Nirav Modi and Choksi, and to Mallya’s spokesperson remained unanswered till press time. Lalit Modi could not be reached for comment.
