Interpol Issues Red Corner Notice for Sambhal Violence Accused Shariq Satta

Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice against fugitive gangster Shariq Satta, whom Uttar Pradesh Police have identified as an alleged key conspirator in the November 2024 Sambhal violence. The international alert is part of efforts to trace Satta, who is believed to have fled India, and facilitate his return to the country for legal proceedings. The notice was issued following a request from the Uttar Pradesh Police, processed through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in coordination with Interpol. 

Satta has been declared a proclaimed offender by a local court after failing to appear before investigators and the judiciary. According to officials, he allegedly escaped to Dubai using a fake passport. The Red Corner Notice allows police and other law enforcement agencies in member countries to seek his location and provisional detention, with the ultimate objective of extraditing him to India. The development is significant because authorities have so far been unable to locate the accused despite efforts to trace him.

Sambhal Violence Case

The violence in Sambhal erupted on November 24, 2024, during a court-directed survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. The survey had followed a claim that a temple had previously existed at the site. During the second survey, clashes broke out between protesters and security personnel, resulting in four deaths and injuries to several people. Police subsequently registered multiple cases and launched an investigation into those allegedly involved in the violence. 

Uttar Pradesh Police have described Satta as one of the principal accused in the case. Earlier this year, authorities also carried out attachment proceedings against his residence in the Deepa Sarai area of Sambhal after a court issued warrants concerning his movable and immovable properties. Officials said Satta had remained untraceable despite several raids, while investigators were also examining his assets and possible associates who may have helped him evade arrest. 

International Search Intensifies

The Red Corner Notice expands the search beyond India's borders and places the case within the framework of international police cooperation. While such a notice is an international request to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted person, it does not itself constitute an international arrest warrant. Any detention or extradition action remains subject to the laws and procedures of the country where the individual is located.

Satta is also reportedly wanted in dozens of other criminal cases across Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region. Investigators have linked him to organised criminal activity and vehicle theft cases, adding to the reasons authorities have been pursuing him. 

The latest action by Interpol comes as Uttar Pradesh authorities continue their efforts to bring those accused in the Sambhal violence case before the court. For investigators, locating Satta abroad is now the immediate challenge, while the Red Corner Notice provides an additional mechanism for seeking international assistance in tracing him and initiating the process for his return to India.