(1) This Act may be called the Extradition Act, 1962.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
1[(1) The Central Government may, by notified order, direct that the provisions of this Act, other than Chapter III, shall apply, to such foreign State or part thereof as may be specified in the order.]
A requisition for the surrender of a fugitive criminal of a foreign State 1 * * * may be made to the Central Government--
Where such requisition is made, the Central Government may, if it thinks fit, issue an order to any Magistrate who would have had jurisdiction to inquire into the offence if it had been an offence committed within the local limits of his jurisdiction directing him to inquire into the case.
On receipt of an order of the Central Government under section 5, the magistrate shall issue a warrant for the arrest of the fugitive criminal.
(1) When the fugitive criminal appears or is brought before the magistrate, the magistrate shall inquire into the case in the same manner and shall have the same jurisdiction and powers, as nearly as may be, as if the case were one triable by a court of session or High Court.
If upon receipt of the report and statement under subsection (4) of section 7, the Central Government is of opinion that the fugitive criminal ought to be surrendered to the foreign State 1 * * *, it may issue a warrant for the custody and removal of the fugitive criminal and for his delivery at a place and to a person to be named in the warrant.
(1) Where it appears to any magistrate that a person within the local limits of his jurisdiction, is a fugitive criminal of a foreign State 1 * * * , he may, if he thinks fit, issue a warrant for the arrest of that person on such information and on such evidence as would, in his opinion, justify the issue of a warrant if the offence of which the person is accused or has been convicted had been committed within the local limits of his jurisdiction.
(1) In any proceedings against a fugitive criminal of a foreign State 1* * * under this chapter, exhibits and depositions (whether received or taken in the presence of the person against whom they are used or not) and copies thereof and official certificates of facts and judicial documents stating facts may, if duly authenticated, be received as evidence.
Nothing contained in this Chapter shall apply to fugitive criminals 1* * * to which Chapter III applies.
(1) This Chapter shall apply only to any such 1[foreign state] to which, by reason of an extradition arrangement entered into with that 2[State], it may seem expedient to the Central Government to apply the same.
Where a fugitive criminal of any 10[foreign State] to which this Chapter applies is found in India, he shall be liable to be apprehended and returned in the manner provided by this Chapter to that 10[foreign State].
A fugitive criminal may be apprehended in India under an endorsed warrant or a provisional warrant.
Where a warrant for the apprehension of a fugitive criminal has been issued in any 1[foreign State] to which this Chapter applies and such fugitive criminal is, or is suspected to be, in India, the Central Government may, if satisfied that the warrant was issued by a person having lawful authority to issue the same, endorse such warrant in the manner prescribed, and the warrant so endorsed shall be sufficient authority to apprehend the person named in the warrant and to bring him before and magistrate in India.
(1) Any magistrate may issue a provisional warrant for the apprehension of a fugitive criminal from any 1[foreign State] to which this Chapter applies who is, or is suspected to be, in or on his way to India, on such information and under such circumstances as would, in his opinion, justify the issue of a warrant, if the offence of which the fugitive criminal is accused or has been convicted had been committed within his jurisdiction and such warrant may be executed accordingly.
(1) If the magistrate, before whom a person apprehended under this Chapter is brought, is satisfied on inquiry that the endorsed warrant for the apprehension of the fugitive criminal is duly authenticated and that the offence of which the person is accused or has been convicted is an extradition offence, the magistrate shall commit the fugitive criminal to prison to await his return and shall forthwith send to the Central Government a certificate of the committal.
The Central Government may, at any time after a fugitive criminal has been committed to prison under this Chapter, issue a warrant for the custody and removal to the 1[foreign State] concerned of the fugitive criminal and for his delivery at a place and to a person to be named in the warrant.
19. Mode of requisition or form of warrant for the surrender or return to India of accused or convicted person who is in a foreign State 1* * *.--(1) A requisition for the surrender of a person accused or convicted of an extradition offence committed in India and who is or is suspected to be, in any foreign State 2* * * to which Chapter III does not apply, may be made by the Central Government--
Any person accused or convicted of an extradition offence who is surrendered or returned by a foreign State 1*** may, under the warrant of arrest for his surrender or return issued in such State or country, be brought into India and delivered to the proper authority to be dealt with according to law.
1[21. Accused or convicted person surrendered or returned by foreign State not to be tried for certain offences.--Whenever any person accused or convicted of an offence, which, if committed in India would be an extradition offence, is surrendered or returned by a foreign State, such person shall not, until he has been restored or has had an opportunity of returning to that State, be tried in India for an offence other than--
Every fugitive criminal of a foreign State 1* * * shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be liable to be arrested and surrendered or returned, whether the offence in respect of which the surrender or return is sought was committed before or after the commencement of this Act, and whether or not a court in India has jurisdiction to try that offence.
Where the offence in respect of which the surrender or return of a fugitive criminal is sought was committed on board any vessel on the high seas or any aircraft while in the air outside India or the Indian territorial waters which comes into any port or aerodrome of India, the Central Government and any magistrate having jurisdiction in such port or aerodrome may exercise the powers conferred by this Act.
If a fugitive criminal who, in pursuance of this Act, has been committed to prison to await his surrender or return to any foreign State 1* * * is not conveyed out of India within two months after such committal, the High Court, upon application made to it by or on behalf of the fugitive criminal and upon proof that reasonable notice of the intention to make such application has been given to the Central Government, may order such prisoner to be discharged unless sufficient cause is shown to the contrary.
In the case of a person who is a fugitive criminal arrested or detained under this Act, the provisions of 1[the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974)] relating to bail shall apply in the same manner as they would apply if such person were accused of committing in India the offence of which he is accused or has been convicted, and in relation to such bail, the magistrate before whom the fugitive criminal is brought shall have, as far as may be, the same powers and jurisdiction as a court of session under that Code.
A fugitive criminal who is accused or convicted of abetting 1[, conspiring, attempting to commit, inciting or participating as an accomplice in the commission of] any extradition offence shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be accused or convicted of having committed such offence and shall be liable to be arrested and surrendered accordingly.
It shall be lawful for any person to whom a warrant is directed for the apprehension of a fugitive criminal to hold in custody and convey the person mentioned in the warrant to the place named in the warrant, and if such person escapes out of any custody to which he may be delivered in pursuance of such warrant, he may be re-taken as a person accused of an offence against the law of India may be re-taken upon an escape.
Everything found in the possession of a fugitive criminal at the time of his arrest which may be material as evidence in proving the extradition offence may be delivered up with the fugitive criminal on his surrender or return, subject to the rights, if any, of third parties with respect thereto.
If it appears to the Central Government that by reason of the trivial nature of the case or by reason of the application for the surrender or return of a fugitive criminal not being made in good faith or in the interests of justice or for political reasons or otherwise, it is unjust or inexpedient to surrender or return the fugitive criminal, it may, by order, at any time stay any proceedings under this Act and direct any warrant issued or endorsed under this Act to be cancelled and the person for whose arrest the warrant has been issued or endorsed to be discharged.
If requisitions for the surrender of a fugitive criminal are received from more than one foreign State 1 ***, the Central Government may, having regard to the circumstances of the case, surrender the fugitive criminal to such State or country as that Government thinks fit
1[(1)] A fugitive criminal shall not be surrendered or returned to a foreign State 2***.--
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in section 3 or section 12, the provisions of sections 29 and 31 shall apply without any modification to every foreign State 1***.
Nothing in this Act shall affect the provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946 (31 of 1946), or any order made thereunder.
1[34. Extra territorial jurisdiction.--An extradition offence committed by any person in a foreign State shall be deemed to have been committed in India and such person shall be liable to be prosecuted in India for such offence].
1[34A. Prosecution on refusal to extradition.--Where the Central Government is of the opinion that a fugitive criminal cannot be surrendered or returned pursuant to a request for extradition from a foreign State, it may, as it thinks fit, take steps to prosecute such fugitive criminal in India.]
1[34B. Provisional arrest.--(1) On receipt of an urgent request from a foreign State for the immediate arrest of a fugitive criminal, the Central Government may request the Magistrate having competent jurisdiction to issue a provisional warrant for the arrest of such fugitive criminal.
1[34C. Provision of life imprisonment for death penalty.--Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, where a fugitive criminal, who has committed an extradition offence punishable with death in India, is surrendered or returned by a foreign State on the request of the Central Government and the laws of that foreign State do not provide for a death penalty for such an offence, such fugitive criminal shall be liable for punishment of imprisonment for life only for that offence.]
Every notified order made or notification issued under this Act shall, as soon as may be after it is made or issued, be laid before each House of Parliament.
(1) The central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act.
| Year | Description | Hindi Description | Files(Eng) | Files(Hindi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-06-2017 | The Extradition Rules, 2017 |
(1) The Indian Extradition Act, 1903 (15 of 1903), and any law corresponding thereto in force at the commencement of this Act in the territories which, immediately before the 1st day of November, 1956, were comprised in Part B States and the North East Frontier Agency and Tuensang District (Extradition) Regulation, 1961 (3 of 1961), are hereby repealed.