The effort to quickly capitalise on the fact that Osama bin Laden was found in the heart of Pakistan has left India red-faced.
The effort to quickly capitalise on the fact that Osama bin Laden was found in the heart of Pakistan has left India red-faced, as one of its most wanted men, figuring in the list of fugitives handed over to Pakistan, was found to be living and working in Thane.
Wazhul Qamar Khan, who was wanted from Pakistan along with 50 others, was found to be living in Thane on bail and awaiting trial in several cases for which he was arrested last year. Khan’s name was 41st on the list that included Dawood Ibrahim. Khan lives in Thane with his mother, wife and five children.
Officials of the ministry of external affairs (MEA), which handed over the list, appeared embarrassed and seem to be blaming ministry of home affairs (MHA), which prepared the list, for the faux pas. However, inquiries have been ordered at the state and central levels. Khan’s name was forwarded to MHA by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad.
Home minister P Chidambaram was embarrassed by the incident. However, he tried putting up a brave face and said: “ I don’t think we should make a big issue of it. It is possible there could be an error or there could be two people with the same name.”
However, the faux pas gave Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley sufficient ground to take a dig at Chidambaram. “The MHA has reached the highest level of incompetency and has embarrassed India. We need to find out how it happened,” Jaitley said.
Khan was arrested in May last year for his alleged involvement in the 2002 and 2003 terror bombings in Mumbai. He is accused of transporting and placing the explosives at the targeted sites in Mumbai Central, Vile Parle, Mulund and Ghatkopar.
—With Agency inputs
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