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Indo-US crime-fighting treaty goes to Senate

United States President George W Bush has sent for ratification to the Senate a treaty with India providing for broad cooperation in tackling crime, including terrorism-related crimes, drug trafficking and white-collar offences.

The Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Treaty, signed by the two countries in New Delhi on October 17 last year, will become effective only after ratification by the Senate by a two-thirds majority.

"With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith the Treaty between the Government of the US and India on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, signed at New Delhi in October 2001. I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the Treaty," Bush said in his message to the Senate.

The treaty provides for a broad range of co-operation in criminal matters and related proceedings, including taking the testimony or statements of persons, providing documents, records, and items of evidence, locating or identifying persons or items, serving documents and transferring persons in custody for testimony or other purposes.

It also calls for mutual assistance for executing requests for searches and seizures, assisting in proceedings relating to seizure and forfeiture of assets, restitution, and collection of fines; and rendering any other form of assistance not prohibited by the laws of the requested state.

PTI

EARLIER REPORT:
India, US sign mutual legal assistance treaty

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