Fugitive Economic Offender
On 14 March 2018, Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar stated the names of the 31 absconding businesspeople in the Lok Sabha, including diamond traders Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Jatin Mehta and embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is facing a investigation from the Central Bureau of Investigation. Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. (Retd.) V. K. Singh submitted the Fugitive Economic Offender names to the Lok Sabha on 25 July 2018. Singh said: "efforts are being made for securing the presence of these accused in the country by way of issuance of Look out Circular, (Red corner notice) and extradition requests." The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are pursuing legal actions to bring back 28 Indians (including six women), who have been charged for financial irregularities and criminal offenses, and are believed to have been living abroad since 2015. On 4 January 2019, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla said in the Lok Sabha the names of the 27 defaulting businessmen and economic offenders who had fled the country in the last five years. Interpol has been approached and asked to issue red corner notices to 20 of the 27 offenders. On February 5, 2020, the Minister of State for Finance S.P. Shukla informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 72 Indians charged with frauds or financial irregularities are currently abroad and efforts are being made to bring them back to the country. Only 2 of the fugitives have been brought back to India and they are Vinay Mittal and Sunny Kalra.
History
A Fugitive Economic Offender is a legal term in India.