Section 12:
Declaration of fugitive economic offender.
(1) After hearing the application under
section 4, if the Special Court is satisfied that an individual is a fugitive economic offender, it may, by
an order, declare the individual as a fugitive economic offender for reasons to be recorded in writing.
(2) On a declaration under sub-section (1), the Special Court may order that any of the following
properties stand confiscated to the Central Government—
(a) the proceeds of crime in India or abroad, whether or not such property is owned by the
fugitive economic offender; and
(b) any other property or benami property in India or abroad, owned by the fugitive economic
offender.
(3) The confiscation order of the Special Court shall, to the extent possible, identify the properties
in India or abroad that constitute proceeds of crime which are to be confiscated and in case such
properties cannot be identified, quantify the value of the proceeds of crime.
(4) The confiscation order of the Special Court shall separately list any other property owned by
the fugitive economic offender in India which is to be confiscated.
(5) Where the Special Court has made an order for confiscation of any property under
sub-section (2), and such property is in a contracting State, the Special Court may issue a letter of
request to a Court or authority in the contracting State for execution of such order.
(6) Every letter of request to be transmitted to a contracting State under sub-section (5) shall be
transmitted in such form and manner as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this
behalf.
(7) The Special Court may, while making the confiscation order, exempt from confiscation any
property which is a proceed of crime in which any other person, other than the fugitive economic
offender, has an interest if it is satisfied that such interest was acquired bona fide and without
knowledge of the fact that the property was proceeds of crime.
(8) All the rights and title in the confiscated property shall, from the date of the confiscation order,
vest in the Central Government, free from all encumbrances.
(9) Where on the conclusion of the proceedings, the Special Court finds that the individual is not a
fugitive economic offender, the Special Court shall order release of property or record attached or
seized under this Act to the person entitled to receive it.
(10) Where an order releasing the property has been made by the Special Court under
sub-section (9), the Director or any other officer authorised by him in this behalf may withhold the
release of any such property or record for a period of ninety days from the date of receipt of such
order, if he is of the opinion that such property is relevant for the appeal proceedings under this Act.