Union Home Minister Amit Shah used the R N Kao Memorial Lecture to press for a unified global crackdown on narcotics, warning that fragmented international responses let drug cartels exploit legal gaps. Speaking to diplomats from 40-plus countries, he called for synchronized laws, standardized punishments, real-time intelligence sharing, and seamless extradition of transnational kingpins. Shah linked drug trafficking to terrorist funding, organized crime, and lasting harm to human health, saying the world must act before damage becomes irreversible within a decade.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Christian Michel James’ plea seeking release from jail in the AgustaWestland scam case. James argues that under the India-UAE extradition treaty, he has already served the maximum sentence for the offenses covered. The court has issued notices to the Centre, CBI, and ED, asking for responses within four weeks.
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CBI has arrested fugitive Kamlesh Parekh after his extradition from the UAE to India in connection with a decade-old bank fraud case worth Rs 2,672 crore. Parekh is accused in the Shree Ganesh Jewellery House case and had been facing CBI charges. Authorities say the arrest marks a major breakthrough after years of efforts to bring him back.
The FBI has extradited alleged Chinese hacker Xu Zewei from Italy to the United States, describing it as a rare, high-stakes operation. FBI Director Kash Patel says his own trip to Italy was crucial and that prosecutors will seek action over alleged cyberattacks targeting US COVID-19 research. Patel also claims Xu has direct ties to China’s Ministry of State Security.
Xu Zewei has been extradited to the United States, where he faces accusations tied to a Chinese government-linked hacking group. Prosecutors allege the group breached thousands of U.S. organizations and stole COVID-19-related research, elevating scrutiny over cyber espionage and cross-border digital crime enforcement. The case underscores how pandemic-related intellectual property remains a high-stakes target.
The Supreme Court has referred Christian Michel’s plea seeking release from jail to a new bench. Michel, accused and involved in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, had his petition rejected by the Delhi High Court. He is challenging aspects of the India-UAE extradition treaty and argues he has served the maximum sentence for the offences tied to his extradition.
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