India has strongly rejected a United Nations special rapporteur’s description of Dawood Ibrahim-led D-Company as an “India-based” criminal group, flagging “glaring inaccuracies” in the report and warning that such incompetence causes tremendous harm to the world body.
First Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Raghoo Puri delivered the rebuttal on Wednesday in the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, responding to a report by Ben Saul, the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism.
“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 said.
He said this presents member states with a fait accompli, an unfortunate situation for an organisation already facing challenges to its legitimacy.
"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.
Puri said Saul’s report stated that in 2003, the United Nations Security Council listed the leader of one criminal group, "the India-based D-Company", for association with Al-Qaeda.
"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, Puri said the criminal organisation and its listed leader, Dawood Ibrahim, have been wanted in India in connection with terror attacks since 1993.
"This is clearly written in the narrative summary of reasons of listing under the 1267 sanctions regime,” he said, referring to the United Nations Security Council's Al-Qaeda sanctions regime.
"Not mentioning this fact is regrettable, and such incompetence on part of special mandate holders does this organisation tremendous harm," Puri said.
"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.
Puri said Dawood Ibrahim remains a wanted criminal in India and, according to the United Nations listing, resides in the same country where Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was found and killed, making a clear reference to Pakistan.
Bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs in a raid in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad in 2011.
India flags alleged bias in report
India also flagged what it called “clear bias” in different parts of Saul’s report and expressed concern over media allegations against the special rapporteur’s office, calling for the highest standards of probity and impartiality.
Saul is chair of international law at the University of Sydney and an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.
The report has also drawn scrutiny over allegations concerning Saul’s funding. UN Watch, a nongovernmental organisation that monitors the performance of the United Nations, alleged in a 104-page investigation published in May 2026, titled 'From Watchdogs to Ideologues', that Saul received USD 150,000 from China.
"The Chinese government is his largest funder, giving USD 150,000 in 2024," the UN Watch investigation said.
India rejects Pakistan’s remarks on Jammu and Kashmir
Puri also cautioned against what he described as attempts by sponsors of terrorism to use human rights and counterterrorism frameworks to justify their actions.
"It seems to have become fashionable for sponsors of terror to use human rights and the framework of counterterrorism to justify their misdeeds. Human rights framework cannot be the refuge of the perpetrators of terror and those who propagate radicalisation and extremism," he said.
"Terrorism can never be justified," Puri said, rejecting remarks made by Pakistan's delegate against India, including references to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
He described the allegations as “pure propaganda” driven by "narrow political gains" and said Pakistan's military was responsible for the country's actual policies.
Puri reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an inalienable part of India, adding that he would not dignify the Pakistani delegate's remarks with further comment.