Interpol Red Corner Notice

Red Corner Notice Interpol

A Red Corner Notice Interpol is issued to alert police forces across the world about fugitives who are wanted internationally. They are accessible only to law enforcement agencies.

They can only be issued after a competent court has taken cognizance of a chargesheet against the fugitive.

Objective: The Red Corner Notice acts as a request to all law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

Information: The notice contains information such as names, dates of birth, nationality, physical attributes (colour of hair and eyes), as well as pictures and biometric data like fingerprints.

Nature of Request: A request may be made by a member country for prosecution or to serve a sentence.

The request need not be made by the fugitive’s home country. The request can be made by a country where the alleged crime has been committed.

The notice is only an international wanted persons’ notice and not an international arrest warrant.

Powers: Interpol cannot force law enforcement authorities in any country to arrest the individual in question.

It is up to member countries to decide on actions. The national law enforcement officers in a country have to make arrests.

Red Corner Notice India

• Cases where Red Corner Notices cannot be issued:
  • Offences related to controversial issues based on behavioral or cultural norms;
  • Offences regarding family/private matters;
  • Offences originating from a violation of laws or regulations of an administrative nature, unless it is suspected of being connected to organized crime.

Red Corner Notice: What is Interpol

• International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) is an inter-governmental organisation comprising of 195 member countries.
• Interpol helps police forces in all member countries to better coordinate their actions by enabling them to share and access data on crimes and criminals, and offers a range of technical and operational support.
• The Interpol general secretariat coordinates the day-to-day activities of the organisation. Its headquarters is located in Lyon, France, with a global complex for innovation in Singapore.
• Point of contact: A National Central Bureau (NCB) in each member country is the central point of contact for both the general secretariat and the other NCBs around the world. The NCB is located in the ministry handling law and order.
• Functions:
  • Maintains criminal database: Interpol manages 19 police databases with information on crimes and criminals, including names, fingerprints and stolen passports.
  • Assistance for countries: It provides investigative support such as forensics, analysis, and assistance in locating fugitives around the world.

Red Corner Notice: Reasons for Rejection

• Insufficient information: The Interpol said that India has failed to provide sufficient information to support its case.
• Misuse of laws: It also criticized the UAPA for being “misused” to target minority groups and human rights activists.
• Political issue: Being a high-profile Sikh separatist, the activities of Pannun have a political dimension, which cannot be eligible for a Red Corner Notice according to Interpol’s Constitution.

Who is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun?

• Pannun is a Canada-based founder and legal advisor of the pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has listed him as a “terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

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