Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: It seems that the government is on a goof up spree. Two days after it was revealed that most wanted number 41 on India’s list of 50 fugitives hiding in Pak, Wazhul Kamar Khan was actually found staying in Thane of Maharashtra, it was reported on Thursday that another fugitive on the list is lodged in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail.
Feroz Rashid khan, 51, stands 24th on the list of most wanted fugitives supposed to be hiding in Pakistan. Feroz was arrested by the crime branch of Mumbai police from a village in Navi Mumbai in connection with 1993 Mumbai blasts.
CBI had issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Khan
in 1994 but the notice was not withdrawn even after the agency
has got his custody.
"CBI has conveyed to the Home Ministry that the lapse
was on the agency's part. When CBI forwarded the list to MHA,
they forgot to delete the name of this person," a Home
Ministry spokesperson said.
Khan is alleged to have facilitated transport and
distribution of arms and ammunitions during the blast and subsequently.
Mumbai police had alleged that following Dawood
Ibrahim's instructions, Khan arranged for landing of arms
allegedly used in the blast.
MHA sources have reportedly said that the CBI failed to inform the Home Ministry about Feroz’s name during compilation of the list.
"We are examining the matter and strict action will be
intitiated against erring officials," CBI spokesperon Dharini
Mishra said.
Earlier, the case of Wazhul Kamar Khan being in the list had left the government red faced. Khan has been living in Mumbai suburb Thane's Waghle Estate with his mother, wife and children, after he was let off on bail. He was also involved in the 2003 Vile-Parle and Ghatkopar blasts besides the 2002 Mumbai Central station blasts.
The CBI had later removed the name of Wazhul from the list and its website.
Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday had accepted that the inclusion of Wazhul Kamar Khan in the list of most-wanted fugitives given to Pakistan was a "mistake".
"There was a mistake. We are not trying to blame anyone. We take responsibility for it," said Mr Chidambaram.
Home Secretary GK Pillai on Tuesday had said his ministry accepted the blame for the goof-up.
The Indian government had handed over the list of 50 most wanted fugitives to Pakistan shortly after the killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a US covert operation near Islamabad. The move was aimed at increasing the pressure on Pakistan to hand over fugitives wanted by India, including JuD chief Hafiz Saeed and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim but now after another gaffe coming to surface, the list is turning into a source of embarrassment for the Central government.
First Published: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 22:53