India has challenged a United Nations special rapporteur’s description of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s criminal network, D-Company, as an “India-based” organisation, alleging serious factual inaccuracies in a report on counter-terrorism. New Delhi has also warned that errors in reports published by UN experts, without adequate accountability, could undermine the credibility of the international organisation.

Raghoo Puri, First Secretary at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, raised the objection on Wednesday before the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. He was responding to a report by Ben Saul, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.

India Questions Description Of D-Company

Puri objected to the report’s reference to the UN Security Council listing the leader of “the India-based D-Company” in 2003 over links to Al-Qaeda. He argued that the wording presented an incomplete account of the circumstances surrounding the listing and Ibrahim’s status.

“My delegation has been pointing out in other forums as well our serious concern at the unacceptable situation of the SR releasing reports with factual inaccuracies, while not being held accountable for them,” Puri said.

He added that such reports effectively presented member states with a fait accompli, describing the situation as particularly concerning for an organisation already facing challenges to its legitimacy.

“Read in isolation, this line paints a very different picture from the actual reality,” Puri said, rejecting the description of D-Company as India-based.

India Says Dawood Ibrahim Left Country Before UN Listing

Puri said Ibrahim and his criminal organisation had been wanted in India in connection with terror attacks since 1993. He pointed out that this information was included in the summary of reasons for Ibrahim’s designation under the UN Security Council’s 1267 sanctions regime targeting Al-Qaeda and associated individuals and entities.

“Not mentioning this fact is regrettable, and such incompetence on part of special mandate holders does this organisation tremendous harm,” he said.

Puri further stated that Ibrahim had left India well before his 2003 listing by the Security Council. According to the Indian diplomat, the listing took place while Ibrahim was outside India and concerned his association with Al-Qaeda and its former leader, Osama bin Laden.

“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,” Puri said.

He added that Ibrahim remained a wanted criminal in India and referred to the UN listing as identifying him as residing in the same country where bin Laden was found and killed, a reference to Pakistan. Bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs during a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011.

India Raises Broader Concerns Over UN Reporting

India’s objection centres on the description of D-Company as India-based and what it considers the omission of important details about Ibrahim’s departure from the country and subsequent UN designation. Puri argued that reports containing factual errors can damage the standing of the UN and raised concerns about the accountability of special rapporteurs.

The exchange took place amid wider disagreements at the UN over counter-terrorism, human rights and the treatment of individual countries in international reporting. India has maintained that assessments by UN mechanisms should be based on accuracy, impartiality and the full presentation of relevant facts.

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