New Delhi:
It's just not the CBI's week. Most wanted lists all over seem to have embarrassment after embarrassment lurking for the premier investigating agency.
In the latest blooper, the name of Mohammed Abdul Shahed, aka Shahed Bilal, a dead HuJI (Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami) leader, has been found on the wanted list of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Bilal, alleged to be a former commander of the banned Bangladesh-based terror outfit, was killed in Pakistan. His pictures were also flashed on the Internet. But he still has an Interpol notice issued against him.
That's not all. Another HuJI leader, Shaikh Abdul Khaja alias Mohammed Amjad, also appears on the CBI's wanted fugitives' list despite being lodged in a jail in Hyderabad. Amjad is believed to be Bilal's second-in-command.
These two bloopers were discovered early on Friday. On Thursday evening it was found that Manipuri militant leader Rajkumar Meghen's name figured on the CBI's most wanted list despite him being in the custody of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Meghen, the chairman of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), was arrested in Bangladesh and brought to India in October, 2010. He has been in the NIA's custody ever since. But his name was listed on the CBI website and the Interpol has a Red Corner Notice out at the behest of the investigating agency.
The Meghen discovery came as lists of wanted men began to be scrutinized closer after two men named on a list of 50 fugitives that India has said are in Pakistan, turned out to be in Mumbai. One lives in Thane, a Mumbai suburb, the other is lodged at the Arthur Road Jail.
The Ministry of Home affairs has now asked has asked all states, Union Territories and probe agencies to update their list of wanted fugitives every three months and inform the Centre about it. (
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On Monday, Wazhul Khan, named on that list of 50 that the Home Ministry handed over to Islamabad, was in fact found living in Thane. Wazhul is an accused in the 2003 Mulund blast case and was arrested last year.
It took not more than three days for another, Feroze Ahmad Rashid Khan, to be discovered in India. On Thursday evening NDTV discovered that Khan was not in Pakistan but lodged in the Mumbai jail. Feroze Ahmad Rashid Khan is an accused in the 1993 Mumbai Blasts case and I in jail as an undertrial. His name figures at No 24 on the list of 50 most-wanted fugitives.
(Read: After Wazhul, another most wanted in India not Pak)Like Meghen, Feroze's name too was on the Red Corner Notice list of the Interpol.
Embarrassed over a series of such bloopers, the government has asked for a complete review of the most wanted list. It has asked the National Investigation Agency, the Intelligence Bureau and the CBI to verify names and status of all those on the list. A new list will then be sent to Pakistan.
The CBI yesterday scrambled to accept its mistake and sources said it had written to the Home Ministry about the blunder saying it was inquiring into the matter. In a late night statement, the central investigating agency said, "The lapse occurred on the part of an official who failed to request Interpol Lyon for the cancellation of Red Corner Notice and to update the records of Interpol Wing, CBI. The Interpol Wing of CBI is carrying out a thorough review of the remaining persons on the most wanted list. Director, CBI has ordered a complete review of the working of the Interpol Wing by an officer of the rank of Joint Director."
An Inspector has been suspended and a superintendent of police and deputy superintendent of police have been transferred pending enquiry. All are from the Interpol branch.
(Read: CBI admits mistake, takes action)The investigation agency has taken off the most wanted list from its website for now, saying the list is being updated.
For the first time since the controversy over the list of fugitives handed over to Pakistan, the Mumbai Police has broken its silence saying they were not consulted by the central investigating agencies while the list was being prepared. Speaking to NDTV, Rajkumar Vatkar - the DCP Operations - has also admitted that there were some procedural lapses.