Interpol's Notices

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Context:

• The CBI is likely to issue a Blue Corner notice against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who fled to Germany on a diplomatic passport after allegations of sexual abuse came to light.

Interpol’s colour-coded notices

• A Blue or a Blue Corner notice is a part of Interpol’s elaborate system of colour-coded notices, which, according to the organisation’s website, enable countries to “share alerts and requests for information [on wanted persons/crimes] worldwide”.
• This sharing of critical crime-related information is crucial for tackling internationally spread out criminal activities.

There are seven types of notices — Red Notice, Yellow Notice, Blue Notice, Black Notice, Green Notice, Orange Notice, and Purple Notice. Each has a different implication.

• Red Notice: To seek the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence.
• Yellow Notice: To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves.
• Blue Notice: To collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
• Black Notice: To seek information on unidentified bodies.
• Green Notice: To provide warning about a person’s criminal activities, where the person is considered to be a possible threat to public safety.
• Orange Notice: To warn of an event, a person, an object or a process representing a serious and imminent threat to public safety.
• Purple Notice: To seek or provide information on modus operandi, objects, devices and concealment methods used by criminals.

How are they issued?

• These notices are issued by the Interpol’s General Secretariat at the request of a member country’s Interpol National Central Bureau, and are made available for all member countries.
• The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol, facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.
• Based out of Lyon, France, it is the world’s largest international police organisation.

What Blue Corner notice means for Prajwal

• Blue notice is simply to further the investigating agencies’ enquiries.
• The CBI website refers to them as ‘B Series (Blue) Notices’ or “enquiry notices” which are issued “to have someone’s identity verified; to obtain particulars of a person’s criminal record; to locate someone who is missing or is an identified or unidentified international criminal or is wanted for a violation of ordinary criminal law and whose extradition may be requested.”
• Blue notices are issued prior to or immediately after the filing of criminal charges, whereas Red notices, which request the arrest of a fugitive, generally follow criminal convictions.
• Interpol’s notices are completely discretionary, i.e. Interpol itself cannot compel law enforcement authorities to act on a particular notice.
• Very often, actual action on the notices is predicated on the relations between the two countries. Given India’s amicable relations with Germany, where Prajwal has fled to, it will be fair to expect that Indian and German law enforcement will fruitfully cooperate to resolve the case.
• In 2020, Interpol issued a Blue Notice to locate fugitive Godman Nithyananda, who had fled the country amidst allegations of sexual abuse and rape in 2019.

Source:

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/blue-corner-notice-prajwal-revanna-9307699/

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Match the following Interpol notices with their corresponding descriptions: Red Notice Yellow Notice Blue Notice Black Notice Options: A) To seek the location and arrest of persons wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence. B) To help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves. C) To collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation. D) To seek information on unidentified bodies. A) A - D, B - F, C - G, D - E B) A - E, B - D, C - G, D - F C) A - D, B - E, C - F, D - G D) A - F, B - D, C - G, D - E Answer C)   Explanation: ●Red Notice: A Red Notice is issued to seek the location and arrest of individuals wanted by judicial authorities for prosecution or to serve a sentence based on an arrest warrant or court decision. ●Yellow Notice: A Yellow Notice is issued to help locate missing persons, often minors, or to help identify persons who are unable to identify themselves, such as individuals with amnesia or other cognitive disorders. ●Blue Notice: A Blue Notice is issued to collect additional information about a person's identity, location, or activities in relation to a criminal investigation. It is often used to gather information about suspects or witnesses. ●Black Notice: A Black Notice is issued to seek information on unidentified bodies. It is used by Interpol to assist member countries in identifying deceased individuals whose identities are unknown.