A delegation of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raised the issue of providing safe havens to the criminals to operate freely from foreign land targeting India in the Interpol General Assembly, sources claimed on Friday.

The Primary objective of raising this issue is to gather international support and cooperation in combating the Pro-Khalistani activities originating from the foreign land. During the four-day conference that runs from 28 November to 1 December, senior police officials from around the world addressed the current and emerging threats, including the significant growth of transnational organized crime.

A five-member delegation headed by the director CBI Praveen Sood, along with Dinkar Gupta, Director General National Investigation Agency (NIA) travelled from India to Vienna, Austria attended the annual Interpol General Assembly. India stressed the need to deny any safe havens for crime, criminals and proceeds of crimes. This is the largest gathering of senior law enforcement officials in the world.

The Indian delegation has held detailed discussions on matters of police cooperation with high level delegations of Austria, UAE, USA, UK, Nepal, Brazil, Australia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Japan, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Singapore and Zambia. Discussions were held for better sharing of criminal information through Interpol channels, to expedite mutual legal assistance and extradition requests.

The Indian delegation has also held discussions with senior officials of Interpol, Europol, Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Organisation and US Air Force Office of Special Investigations on strengthening arrangements for cooperation.

The Indian delegation held discussions with law enforcement agencies from multiple countries for enhanced coordination through Interpol channels with a view for concerted action to combat organized crime, terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, online radicalisation, cyber enabled financial crimes and to prevent these crimes on a real-time basis.

India has stressed the need to deny any safe havens for crime, criminals and proceeds of crimes. The need for coordinated strategies to curtail criminal organisations which operate across international jurisdictions was deliberated.

This year’s General Assembly also marks the 100th anniversary of Interpol. And this very year it returns to the city where the organization was founded a century ago.

India also supported adoption of Interpol’s ‘Vision 2030’ and creation of Interpol Future Council. The General Assembly is the supreme decision making body of Interpol and meets annually to deliberate on issues of global security, emerging crime trends and international police cooperation.

CBI is designated as the National Central Bureau for Interpol in India and coordinates all international police cooperation requirements of Indian law enforcement agencies through the Interpol channels. India joined Interpol in 1949 and has been an active member of the organisation.

It may be recalled that 2023 saw as many as 24 criminals and fugitives wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies being returned from abroad to India through close coordination with Interpol channels, one of the highest ever in a year. India wants this increased leveraging of Interpol channels and relationship with law enforcement agencies internationally to combat crime and criminals.