Over 650 Indians on Interpol's 'wanted' list

The number of Indians on Interpol's wanted list has swollen to over 650.

The global crime monitoring organisation has issued 656 red-alert notices against Indians or people of Indian origin in the past five years, generally for crimes committed in countries other than India.

A red alert or red corner notice obliges immigration and police forces of all member countries to arrest the concerned person and inform the authorities in his home country, or the country where the crime was committed.

Interpol is the world's largest international police organisation, with 188 member countries.

Many of these wanted people are involved in acts of terrorism or serious crimes like rape of a minor.

Out of the total of 656 red alert notices issued against Indians between 2005 and May 2010, a highest of 150 were issued last year followed by 133 in 2007 and 119 in 2006.

About 85 such notices were drawn in 2008 and 94 others in 2005, while 75 of them were issued between January and May this year, the Central Bureau of Investigation, which acts as a nodal agency for international policing in India, said in reply to an RTI query.

The countries where the largest number of offences have been reported include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Oman, USA, Hong Kong, Russia, Belarus, Egypt, Australia and Belgium.

The offences include money laundering, tax evasion, sexual harassment, disrupting railway traffic, mail fraud and demanding dowry. At least 25 percent of the offences relate to overspeeding and road accidents.

Exercising his Right to Information, Ashwini Shrivastava had asked for details of red alert notice issued against people of Indian origin in the past five years including the details of offences.

One of the Interpol notices names Haji Ibrahim Salim for alleged involvement in a terrorist act, Shaikh Anwar for allegedly waging war against a country, KochipeedikayilShabeerkayil, Sabir Kochipeedikayil and Nazir Thadipeedikayil for planting an explosive, Shaja Khan for allegedly planting a bomb and Iqbal Bhatkal for his alleged involvement in unlawful activities, it said.