The Interpol has issued the first Silver notice on India’s request to track the global assets of former French Embassy officer Shubham Shokeen, who is wanted in connection with a visa fraud, officials said.

The Silver notice is a colour-coded notice introduced by the Interpol in January this year to track the movement of illicit assets across the globe. The pilot project, of which India is also a part, started with the issuance of the first Silver notice on the request of Italy.

Colour-coded notices

• Silver: To track the movement of illicit assets across the globe
• Red: For detaining a fugitive
• Blue: Seeking additional information
• Black: For unidentified bodies
• Yellow: For missing persons

The Interpol issues nine types of colour-coded notices, each meant for seeking specific information from member countries worldwide. For instance, Red is for detaining a fugitive, Blue for seeking additional information, Black for unidentified bodies and Yellow for missing persons.

India is among the 51 member countries taking part in the first phase of Silver notice issuance. The pilot project will continue till November. As part of the pilot phase, each country can get nine Silver notices published.

In a statement, the CBI said Interpol had issued two Silver notices in quick succession on its request. The first request was made on May 23 against Shokeen, Personnel Visas and Local Law Officer in the French Embassy in Delhi, and the second on May 26 against Amit Madanlal Lakhanpal, wanted by the Enforcement Directorate.

“Shokeen conspired from September 2019 to May 2022 with other accused and facilitated issuance of Schengen visa to applicants by collecting illegal gratification ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 45 lakh from each," the CBI said.

Lakhanpal allegedly created a cryptocurrency named MTC, which is not recognised in India, for his own financial gains. “He lured investors to invest in MTC and collected funds of about Rs 113.10 crore from them,” it said.