CBI operation: Rape accused extradited from UAE to Bengaluru

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully coordinated an operation to extradite a man accused of rape in Karnataka from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), officials said on Friday.

Midhun VV Chandran has been wanted by Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura police on charges of rape, criminal intimidation, and other offences as per a case registered on February 1, 2020.

“The Global Operations Centre, Central Bureau of Investigation, has coordinated with Interpol NCB-Abu Dhabi; Karnataka Police; Embassy of India, and Abu Dhabi, Ministry of External Affairs. The Red Notice subject was returned from the UAE to India with a team from the Karnataka Police. He was earlier geolocated in the UAE through follow-up by CBI,” the central agency said in a statement.

The Mahadevapura police had booked Chandran and another woman, Geetha, under IPC sections 376 (punishment for rape), 417 (punishment for cheating), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The CBI said it facilitated issuing of the Red Notice against Chandran from the Interpol General Secretariat on January 20, 2023, following a request by the Karnataka Police. The agency added: “The Red Notice was circulated to all Interpol member countries for location and arrest of the accused.”

The CBI said that 26 wanted criminals have been brought back to India. “Due to close coordination and follow-up with foreign law enforcement agencies via Interpol channels, as many as 26 criminals wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies have been returned from abroad in 2023,” the CBI said.

“The CBI, as the National Central Bureau for Interpol in India, coordinates with all law enforcement agencies in India for assistance via Interpol channels.”

What is a Red Notice?

According to Interpol, it is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.