Moose Wala case: Request for Red Corner Notice against Brar came after murder, CBI counters Punjab Police

Follow us on

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) issued a statement on Thursday that Punjab Police had requested a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against gangster Goldy Brar on May 30, a day after singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moose Wala was killed. Brar had claimed responsibility for the killing of Moose Wala. 

Satinderjeet Singh, alias Goldy Brar, is currently in Canada. This statement came a day after Punjab Police said it had sought a Red Corner Notice against Brar 10 days before Moosewala's death.

The CBI said communication was received from the Bureau of Investigation, Punjab Police through an email on May 30 at 12.25 PM with a letter dated May 19 attached in it seeking issuance of Red Notice against Brar in two FIRs registered by Punjab Police -- FIR No. 409 dated November 12, 2020 and FIR No. 44 dated February 18, 2021 -- at City Police Station, Faridkot.

Twenty-seven-year-old singing sensation Moosewala, who had fought the recent assembly elections in Punjab on a Congress ticket, was shot dead on May 29 by unidentified assailants in Punjab's Mansa district, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover. Over 30 empty cases of bullets were found near the SUV in which he was killed.

"In the present matter, the proposal for issuance of Red Notice (RCN) against Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy... a hard copy of the same proposal was received from Punjab police in IPCU, CBI, New Delhi on May 30, 2022," it said.

The communication was sent nearly six months after a court had issued warrants against accused Brar in both cases probed by the state police, sources said.

The CBI said Red Notice is neither mandatory nor a pre-requisite for sending an extradition requests, more so when the location of the subject is known. The Red Notice alerts enforcement agencies of 195 Interpol member countries to locate and detain a fugitive wanted by a requesting member country.

FIR number 409 pertains to a shootout near the Kataria petrol pump in Faridkot on November 11, 2020 in which a charge sheet was filed in November, 2021 and warrants were issued in October, 1, 2021, they said.

The second FIR pertains to the murder of Gurlal Singh in Faridkot on February 18, 2021 in which a charge sheet was also filed in November, 2021. The warrants were opened on September 13, 2021, they said.

"After processing for confirmation of pre-requisite requirements, the Red Notice proposal was forwarded expeditiously to INTERPOL (Headquarters), Lyon on 02-06-2022," the CBI's spokesperson said.

He said the International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the CBI coordinates the requests of sister law enforcement agencies for informal coordination through Interpol, including requests for the issuance of colour-coded notices.

"IPCU, CBI checks the requests for eligibility as per Rules of Processing Data of Interpol so that the request is complete and the notices are issued early. The final issuance of notices is done by Interpol (HQ), Lyon (France) in line with Rules for Processing of Data," he said.

The agency said the request for issuance of a Red Notice against Harwinder Singh Rinda had been sent to the Interpol headquarters.

"It is further clarified that Interpol channels are used for informal international police-to-police cooperation and a Red Notice is neither mandatory nor a pre-requisite for sending extradition request, more so when the location of the subject is known," the statement said.

He said the CBI has been assisting all law enforcement agencies in the matter of international cooperation and is committed to assisting in the best possible manner through various international channels.

A Punjab Police spokesperson had said the state police has been leaving no stone unturned for the extradition of gangster Goldy Brar.

(With inputs from PTI)