The government on Friday ruled out recalling the “50 Most Wanted” list given to Pakistan after two more fugitives figuring in it were traced in India but said the document is being reviewed.
“The entire list is being reviewed. We have no plan to recall the list from Pakistan,” Secretary, Internal Security in the Home Ministry, U.K. Bansal told reporters in New Delhi.
While referring to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s action to suspend and transfer some officials responsible for the goof-up, he said responsibility has been fixed and action has been taken.
“The responsibility has been fixed as it is a matter of internal importance. The issue is being probed,” he said.
Mr. Bansal also said that the Home Ministry will conduct an exercise to ensure that there is no such mistake in the future.
In another major embarrassment for the government, two more “fugitives” in India’s list handed over to Pakistan were found to be in the country, following which a CBI inspector was suspended and two of its senior officials — an SP and a DSP — transferred.
CBI director A.P. Singh has ordered a complete review of the Interpol wing and the most wanted list will be thoroughly scrutinised in consultation with State police and other agencies.
India’s list of “50 Most Wanted’ has the name of Feroz Abdul Khan, alias Hamza, 51, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai blast case, who was arrested from a village in Navi Mumbai in February last year and was handed over to the CBI for further investigation.
The CBI had issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Khan in 1994 but the notice was not withdrawn even after the agency has got his custody.
“The CBI has conveyed to the Home Ministry that the lapse was on the agency’s part. When the CBI forwarded the list to the 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. The Mumbai Police had alleged that following Dawood Ibrahim’s instructions, Khan arranged for landing of arms allegedly used in the blast.
In the second instance, the name of Raj Kumar Meghen, a United National Liberation Front leader, figures in the list.
He is now in the custody of the National Investigation Agency.
His name continues to figure on the Interpol watch list for terrorism, use of explosives and organised crime.
Earlier, Wazhul Kamar Khan, whose name had also figured in India’s most wanted list, was traced in Mumbai.
