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.

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

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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 CBI, 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.