Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged Interpol to expedite up the pace issuing Red Corner Notices against fugitive convicts in order to combat terrorism, corruption, and crime. The Prime Minister emphasised international collaboration in dealing with corrupt individuals who seek refuge in various locations throughout the world while addressing the 90th General Assembly of Interpol at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.
In order to track down wanted fugitives who have fled the nation after committing crimes, Interpol issues Red Notices. A person listed in an Interpol notice may be detained or expelled by a member state.
“Yes, there are diverse legal and procedural frameworks to deal with them. However, there is a need for the global community to work even faster to eliminate safe havens. There can be no safe havens for the corrupt, terrorists, drug cartels, poaching gangs or organized crime,” Prime Minister Modi said.
He stated that dishonest people steal money from the needy to fund wicked activities like terrorism. Through the selling of illicit armaments, the dirty money weakens democracies and participates in actions like the smuggling of illegal drugs to endanger the lives of children.
India has issued 778 Red Notices, of which the CBI has issued 205. These notices have been issued against fugitives including Dawood Ibrahim and his assistant Chhota Shakeel, terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, and criminals in the financial world like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, among others.
In view of the remarks made by Interpol Secretary General Jurgan Stock, who enumerated several restrictions on Red Corner Notices, the statement of Prime Minister Modi becomes weight.
“A Red Notice is not an international arrest warrant, and Interpol cannot force any member country to arrest an individual who is the subject of a Red Notice. It is not for Interpol to judge the merit of a case or a decision taken by national courts – that is a sovereign matter,” he had said in a press conference.
He argued that Interpol’s duty is to assess whether a request for a Red Notice is compliant with its charter and regulations.
“This means that we cannot accept a request if, for example, it is political, military, religious or racial in character, or is not in accordance with our Rules on the Processing of Data,” he had said.
