Cabinet okays extradition treaty with Australia

New Delhi, Oct 11: The Union Cabinet today approved the signing of an extradition treaty between India and Australia, which would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals by either country.

Briefing reporters on the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said the salient features of the treaty included extradition of nationals, extraditable and composite offences, provisional arrest and grounds of refusal.

The other features of the treaty, according to the minister, are: obligation to extradite, extradition procedures and Rule of Speciality.

''The treaty would provide a legal framework for seeking extradition of terrorists, economic offenders and other criminals from and to Australia,'' he said.

Mr Dasmunsi said the cabinet also gave its ex-post facto approval for amending the Agreement between India and Bulgaria for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, which was signed here on September 12.

The decision would enable Bulgaria to comply with its obligations as a Member-State of the European Union, he added.

UNI