The list of 50 “most wanted fugitives” is proving to be a source of continuous embarrassment for the Government of India as yet another goof-up came to light on Thursday night of one more accused being traced in Mumbai.
Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, arrested in February 2010, is lodged in Mumbai's high-profile Arthur Road jail.
In the first instance that came to light a few days ago, Wazhul Kamar Khan, an accused in the 2003 Mulund blast, was found to be residing at his house in Thane.
“He is there with us, in our custody. He has been in jail since last February. A Special Task Force of the Central Bureau of Investigation had charge-sheeted him and he is an under-trial. There was no bail for him,” Surendra Kumar, Inspector-General, Prisons, told The Hindu over telephone.
Shocking, says lawyer
Rashid Khan's lawyer Farhana Shah said the goof-up was shocking. “When the accused is arrested and produced before the court, doesn't it become the prosecution's duty to update the information? They should have taken his name off their list. The red corner notice should have been withdrawn,” she said.
“The CBI has filed a supplementary charge sheet against him. They want to club his case with that against Mustafa Dossa [co-accused]. They have not yet moved that application. We are waiting for the trial to begin,” she said. She met Rashid Khan on May 11 and was not aware that his name figured in the list.
Rashid Khan had been absconding after the serial blasts on March 12, 1993, which left 257 dead and 713 injured. A red corner notice was issued against him in 1994.
He is alleged to be a close aide of Mohammed Dossa, also under arrest. They were allegedly involved in the transport and distribution of arms and ammunition used for the blasts.
On his arrest last year, the police said Rashid Khan allegedly went to Nepal on a fake passport and worked with Dossa in Dubai. He allegedly returned to India for the first time after the blasts in 2004 under an assumed name, later returning to Dubai.
Keywords: India fugitive list
Three incidents, two involving the 50 most wanted list and third of CBI team reaching Copenhagen with an expired warrant to apprehend King Peter Davy (purulia arms drop case), shows the lackadaisical attitude of our agencies towards terror. It has not only embarrassed the agencies but also hugely embarrassed India at bilateral forum with Pakistan. They will make sure to highlight these lapses and give negate presence of any of those 48 left (in the list) in Pakistan. Some of the points which come out are:(a) the non-seriousness at the top level to tackle terrorism; India has been providing such lists and evidence to Pak for years now and there has been no action from their side. In all probability, its turning out to be a futile exercise. (b) India's case has been weakened by involvement of some right wing extremists in samjhauta express and mecca-masjid cases, this again has embarrassed India as our agencies had initially claimed the hand of LeT in these cases. (c) there is a clear lack of any strategy from top leadership, which every deppt and officials are aware of. So, they take such list preparations as routine jobs and don't carry out any background checks on these criminals, leading to such goof ups. (d)there seems to be a clear lack of co-ordination among different agencies like cbi, mumbai police, home ministry, foreign ministry etc.
But there is a lesson in every incident and there is a clear need for better co-ordination among different agencies to avoid such embarrassments. Secondly, our leadership needs to show some 'clear intent' towards terrorism. Mixed signals of 'non seriousness in tackling terror' and peace talks side by side are ominous signs for Indian image at international forum. Our country is being projected as a non serious and soft state and extremist elements are bound to take advantage of such a dwindling on the part of govt.
your Article was interesting to read. once error can be tolerated ,but second time highly unacceptable.When the Govt submitting the wanted terrorists list ,it should be perfect without any complications. Unfortunately both times the two names was wrongly incorporated ,shows the incompetence of our administration, was sad.The Home Ministry should have monitored ,before submitting.Ignorance can be tolerated,not arrogance.Will the present administration ,will come back and explain.
India is asking for people who are jailed in India, What a loser I would say. India want to be a world player but it has credibility Issue in the arena.
indeed its proving to be a disgrace ..maybe one possibility is that corrupt officials added that name to the list so tht they could illegally let go of the prisonner for huge amounts of money
This really makes a pathetic statement on the state of affairs. With all the senior officers involved, and the entire might of the state mechanism at their disposal, if we are not able to provide a list which is conclusive, than someone has to be held responsible. The home minister wishing it off saying that out of 50, only one is wrong, again portrays the mindset of the Indian politics and bureaucrats. Remember the fact that Pakistan or US / Interpol is going to treat this with respect and go after them. Some one should take responsibility for this type of important documents and list. Else India will be the laughing stock in the eyes of the world, what with the recent commonwealth and 2 G scams.
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