India to hand over authenticated list of fugitives to Pakistan
After facing embarrassment due to errors in the list of 'most wanted fugitives' handed over to Pakistan, India has prepared an authenticated list of wanted criminals to be given to the neighbouring country.
The Home Ministry has prepared the list after gathering information from all agencies and state governments concerned and handed it over to the Ministry of External Affairs to be given to the Pakistani delegation during the Foreign Minister-level talks to be held here tomorrow.
The revised list of 48 fugitives is "authenticated, verified" and it is confirmed that none figuring in it lives in India, an official said.
Those in the list include Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, al Qaeda leader Illyas Kashmiri, 1993 Mumbai blasts accused Dawood Ibrahim, gangster Chhota Shakeel, Jaish- e-Mohammed chief and Parliament attack principal accused Maulana Mohamad Masood Azhar and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin.
The government had faced major embarrassment in May when two persons in the 'most wanted list' of 50 'fugitives' handed over to Pakistan were found to be living in India. The list was handed over to Pakistan during the Home Secretary level talks on March 28-29.
Following the goof-up, a CBI inspector was suspended and two of its senior officials transferred.
Home Minister P Chidambaram termed the mistake as a wake up call for security agencies to become more professional but ruled out giving any apology for the lapse.
He also said that the goof-up did not damage India's credibility and it will "not change the dynamics" of Indo-Pak relationship or the status of discussions between them.
