FBI Director, Delhi Police chief emphasise need to thwart criminals finding shelter across borders
Dec 12, 2023
New Delhi [India], December 12 : In a strategic alliance against transnational cybercrimes, FBI Director Christopher A Wray visited the Delhi Police Headquarters on Tuesday and both agencies recognised the menace of criminals operating across borders while emphasising the need to thwart these individuals from finding shelter in different countries.
The FBI and Delhi Police underscored the critical importance of addressing emerging challenges posed by technology to law enforcement. Their discussions also focused on closer cooperation to combat transnational cybercrimes, enhance access to encrypted communication applications, and the imperative to share information.
Wray's visit was part of the ongoing India tour and comes amid a US federal investigation into an alleged foiled plot to assassinate India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, for which the US administration levelled allegations against an Indian national and an Indian agency official.
The delegation was accorded a warm welcome. The FBI Director was briefed on the mandate, challenges and organisational set-up of the Delhi Police and about areas of possible mutual cooperation between the two law enforcement agencies.
There was a particular emphasis on enhancing the exchange of information on criminal matters and improving structural coordination in combating transnational crimes, Delhi Police said in a statement.
Both agencies recognised the need to prevent criminals from taking advantage of operating from or finding shelter in different countries, the statement also read.
Sanjay Arora, Police Commissioner of Delhi and the FBI Director encouraged greater formal as well as informal channels of inter-se communication, experience and resource sharing in the investigation of complex technology-enabled crimes.
The two chiefs also expressed their satisfaction with the present state of their relationship, which has yielded several positive results in the last year and discussed ways and means of taking it forward in a collaborative manner, it added.
Wray, while interacting with senior officers of the Delhi Police, thanked them for hosting the FBI delegation and expressed that this visit will lead to qualitatively enhanced relationships in the future.
The FBI Director arrived in India on Monday. Yesterday, he met CBI chief Praveen Sood and discussed the challenges posed by organised crime networks.
The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier said that this visit was part of the ongoing cooperation between the US and India on areas of security and counterterrorism.
In November this year, the Indian delegation, led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and National Investigation Agency (NIA), urged member countries to deny safe havens to crime, criminals, and the proceeds of crime at the 91st Interpol General Assembly held in Vienna, Austria.
Criminals and fugitives wanted by Indian agencies have been successfully returned through increased leveraging of Interpol channels and enhanced relationships with international law enforcement agencies.
