Kathmandu, July 24 -- After years of negotiations, senior home ministry officials from Nepal and India finalised the text of Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters during the home secretary-level talks in New Delhi that concluded on Wednesday.

In the absence of a dedicated mutual legal assistance agreement and Extradition Treaty, security officials have long faced legal and administrative hurdles in handing over criminals to each other.

As the validity of the old extradition treaty expired long ago, security officials from Nepal and India have been extraditing individuals with criminal backgrounds on mutual understanding.

"We agreed on the text of the agreement on mutual legal assistance during the meeting," Ram Chand...