India has lambasted the United Nations after its special rapporteur described terrorist and fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim's D-Company as an India-based criminal group in a counter-terrorism report.
Raghoo Puri, the first secretary at India's Permanent Mission to the UN, raised objections during a meeting of the Third Committee of the world body's General Assembly on Wednesday, flagging the description as 'glaring inaccuracies.'
India also issued a stern warning that such factual errors, coupled with a lack of accountability for experts, risk undermining the credibility of the UN.
"My delegation has been pointing out in other forums as well our serious concern at the unacceptable situation of the SR (Special Rapporteur) releasing reports with factual inaccuracies, while not being held accountable for them," Puri responded to the report by Ben Saul, the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.
"It is in this context that we would like to point out some particularly glaring inaccuracies as far as my country is concerned," Puri said.
Expressing concern over the description, Puri said, "Read in isolation, this line paints a very different picture from the actual reality," adding that Dawood and other criminals of his organisation have been wanted in India in connection with terror attacks since 1993.
"Let me correct it for the record. This individual fled India much before the 2003 listing, and it was during this period from outside our country that he was listed for being associated with Al Qaeda and with Osama bin Laden," he said.
Recommended For You
Puri further emphasised Pakistan's role in harbouring terrorism and providing safe haven to Dawood for the last few decades.
He reminded the world body that Dawood resides in the same country where Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was found and killed by the United States.