New Delhi, October 3
India and the USA today signed an agreement to help each other investigate offences related to terrorism, narcotics, trafficking, economic and other organised crimes.
The protocol of exchange of the Instrument of Ratification concerning Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty was signed here by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal and US Ambassador to India David C Mulford.
Speaking after the signing of the treaty, Mr Mulford termed it as “a very, very important step forward” in bilateral relations of the two countries.
He said relations between India and the USA touched virtually every area of human activity and the USA would like to develop the relations further.
The Union Home Secretary described the signing of the Protocol as yet another step in “our continuing strong friendship.”
Mr Duggal said India was the 16th country with which the USA had signed the treaty. The treaty has already been ratified by President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
The treaty concerning criminal matters will enhance the ability of the two countries to pursue their common objective of law enforcement and putting in place a legal mechanism to enable them to provide to each other assistance in connection with investigation, prosecution, prevention and suppression of crime, including those relating to terrorism, narcotics, trafficking and economic and organised crime.
According to an
official spokesman, the assistance under the Treaty shall include taking testimony or statements of persons, providing documents, records and items of evidence, locating or identifying persons or items, serving documents, transferring persons in custody for testimony, executing requests for searches, assistance in proceedings related to seizure and forfeiture of assets, restitution and collection of fines.
