CBI removes Wazhul Kamar Khan's name from wanted list

New Delhi, May 18 (PTI) A day after India suffered huge
embarrassment, country's premier investigative agency CBI has
removed from its list of red corner notice fugitives the name
of Wazhul Kamar Khan, who figured in the '50 most wanted' list
given to Pakistan but was found staying in a Mumbai suburb.
Khan's name was on the most wanted list as the Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) did not receive any request from
Mumbai Police to remove his name from it, CBI spokesperson
said.
The initial probe in the lapse has been attributed to
both -- the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police and Anti-Terrorism
Squad (ATS) of Maharashtra Police -- for not communicating
about the arrest of Khan to the CBI so that the international
warrant could be revoked against him.
Sources privy to the probe said the arrest of Khan
needed to be communicated to the CBI which in turn could have
withdrawn the Interpol red corner notice.
Khan was arrested by the ATS in May last year along with
arms and ammunition and later Crime Branch arrested him in
connection with his alleged role in the 2003 Mulund train
blasts. The ATS also arrested him in connection with few other
cases.
But none of the two informed the CBI or any central
agency to withdraw the Red Corner Notice, the sources said.
Efforts to contact ATS Chief Rakesh Maria and Crime
Branch Chief Himanshu Roy through phone and SMS proved futile.
Official sources said that an inquiry has been
initiated by the Home Ministry to find out how Khan was
included in the list handed over to Pakistan.
Khan's name is on number 41 in the list which was
given to Pakistan in March and made public last week. The list
was prepared in consultation with Maharashtra Police, National
Investigation Agency and Central Bureau of Investigation.
The probe will cover the whole process of preparing the
list at different stages and pin-point the officials
responsible in including the name of Khan.