Interpol issues Red Corner Notice against Absconder Nirav Modi
The Interpol’s Manchester office had earlier informed India about the fugitive diamond merchant’s movements till March 31.The Interpol on Monday issued a Red Notice against diamond merchant Nirav Modi on the request of the Enforcement Directorate, which has invoked money laundering charges against him.
The Red Notice not only restricts a fugitive’s movement in 190 member countries of the Interpol, but also empowers enforcement agencies in the respective foreign jurisdictions to detain the person for deportation or extradition to the requesting country.
The ED has launched a probe against Mr. Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi, and others on the basis of FIRs registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to pursue those involved in the ₹13,578-crore Punjab National Bank fraud.
Both the agencies have filed initial charge sheets against him and had requested the Interpol to issue Red Notice seeking his location and detention. The current location of Mr. Modi, who flew out of the country along with his family in the first week of January, is not clear.
The ED has also moved the Mumbai Special Court seeking permission to send a request for extraditing him. While the application will be sent to the United Kingdom, the agency will also write to other countries seeking cooperation in his arrest.
After the CBI registered the cases against him, Mr. Modi has visited the UK at least thrice
In a bid to track down Mr. Modi, the CBI has also written several times to the UK, United States, United Arab Emirates, Beligum and Singapore. In response to a diffusion notice, the agency said, the Interpol’s Manchester office had earlier informed it about his movements till March 31.
Mr. Modi had landed at the UK’s Heathrow airport from the United States on February 10. He travelled from Hong Kong to Heathrow on February 15 and a month later, from Heathrow back to Hong Kong. He again went from the US to London on March 28, and then to Paris on March 31.
What is Red Corner Notice
A Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol urges its member countries to detain or arrest an accused, who is wanted in a country. It is the most commonly used notice and Interpol issued 12,878 RCN in 2016. It is, however, not an international arrest warrant.
The red notice is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition. RCN is issued by the General Secretariat at the request of a member country or an international tribunal based on a valid national arrest warrant.
It must be noted that Interpol cannot compel any member country to arrest any individual who is the subject of a Red Notice. It is upon the member country to decide as to what legal value it wants to give a Red Notice within their borders.
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Source:The hindu and Zee news.
Nirav Modi
