The Indian Home Ministry
has prepared a fresh list of the Bombay bomb blast fugitives
which includes the name of a Pakistani national and key
operative Sayeed Arif. The new government is likely to
hold talks with Pakistan and the Gulf states on this issue.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil
has recently chaired a meeting of top home ministry officials
to review the pending cases before the Central Bureau
of Investigation (CBI), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and other
civilian and para military intelligence agencies.
He also took stock of the
Bombay bomb blast case of March 12, 1993 in which 527
people were killed, 713 injured and there was loss of
property worth 270 million.
Though the Bombay bomb
blast criminals’ boss Dawood Ibrahim is said to
be changing his looks to avoid arrest, he and his men
are lying low in Pakistan and Dubai. Dawood is accompanied
by two women, one a forgotten Indian film actress Mandakini,
who is still in Dubai.
Indian officials say the
dossier on Dawood Ibrahim consists of a photograph, little
and insufficient details about his physique, distinguishing
bodily marks, etc. To avoid arrest, Dawood has undergone
cosmetic surgery in Pakistan. His Notice Control No is
A-135/4/1993.
Officially, he is wanted
for smuggling of gold and armed attack on customs officials.
Initially, there had been no mention of the Bombay bomb
blast in the notice. It might have been added later after
evidence of his involvement surfaced.
Officials told the South
Asia Tribune the term of the notice automatically expires
in 10 years, and Interpol then pays more attention to
other cases. But in this case the Interpol is fully alert.
Indian officials are looking
badly for Dawood Ibrahim’s henchmen including two
women members of his family, namely Shabana Ibrahim Memon
and Reshma Ayub Memon. Highly placed sources say these
two women are with Dawood Ibrahim.
Though Interpol has not issued red corner notices against
Shabana Memon and Reshma Ayub Memon, they are desperately
wanted by New Delhi. They have been registered under P.E.
number R.C. 1(S)93, STF, Bombay. They are accused of having
knowledge about the conspiracy of the Bombay blast. These
women acted as carriers of lethal weaponry and other explosive
materials to facilitate the blast at the Bombay Stock
Exchange.
Officials have prepared
a list of key aides of Dawood and have released pictures
of some of them to the media. These include:
Taher Mohammed Merchant: An
accomplice of Dawood Ibrahim in the Bombay blast case. He
is a lesser known criminal, but is wanted badly by the Indian
authorities. His Notice Control No. is A-228/5-1994. Officials
think he may be in Pakistan but they have no definite and
authentic information about his characteristics, bodily
marks, other identification signs, etc. During the interrogation
of detainees under TADA, an anti-terrorism act, his sketch
was prepared by an artist. That is why, it is not easy to
recognize him.
Sheikh Karimullah or Karimullah Bhai or Karim: His Notice
Control No. is A-387/7-1995. His nationality is Indian,
and he speaks Urdu, Marathi, Hindi and Persian fluently.
He is wanted for offences of hatching conspiracy to cause
explosions and terrorist activities. Officials say that
he also played a role in the Bombay blast. He participated
in the landing of firearms and explosives at Shekhadi. Nobody
is certain about his hideout.
Khatri Riyaz: He is one of the
most dreaded terrorists after Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger
Memon. Indian officials believe Khatri Riyaz is hiding
in Pakistan with Dawood. He is said to double as Dawood’s
driver. His red corner notice number is A-648/12-1997.
First he was seen in Dubai with Dawood, and when Dawood
shifted his base from Dubai to Pakistan, Riyaz also went
with him.
Feroz Abdul Rashid: He is said to
be hiding in Dubai under the fake name of Feroz Khan.
Indian officials are about to get the red corner notice
released against him to hunt him down. However, he has
been booked under R.C.1(S)93, and carries a reward of
Rs 200,000. He was involved in landing of arms and explosives
which caused the bomb blast in Bombay.
Salim Abdul Ghani Ghazi alias Salim
Ghazi: In the underworld, he is known for his affinity
with Chota Shakeel. He is also believed to be in Pakistan.
He also carries a reward of Rs 200,000 on his head.
Yaqub Wali Mohammed Khan alias Yeda
Khan: He is said to be a dreaded terrorist wanted badly
in India. He is involved in smuggling of arms and explosives
and participated in training program at Sandheri and Borghat.
He went to Pakistan for arms training and took part in
the landing of arms and explosives, its transportation
and storage in the MIDC godown of his brother Majid Khan.
He carries a reward of half a million rupees on his head.
He is believed to have escaped to a Gulf country.
Anwer Ahmed Haji Jamal Therba: He
took part in the conspiracy that was held at Dubai before
the Bombay bomb blast. He took training at Sandheri and
Borghat, and visited Pakistan before and after the incident.
He planted a suitcase with RDX in Room number 157 of Centaur
Hotel, Bombay. He carries a reward of half million rupees
on his head.
Abdul Rashid Mohammed Khan: He is
said to be involved in distributing arms like AK-56 rifles
to his men and other terrorists. He procured these rifles
from Pakistan via Nepal and Bangladesh.
Shabir Sayed Ismail Qadri alias
Qadri alias Shaid: He is also involved in the landing
of arms and explosives from Pakistan along with Abdul
Rashid.
Sayeed Arif: A Pakistani national,
he is the man who first helped Dawood Ibrahim to establish
contacts with the Pakistani agencies. The Interpol has
also issued a red corner notice No. A-388/7-1995 against
him. Sayeed Arif met Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai. He also
provided training to Yeda Khan, Therba and other terrorists
in Pakistan. He is wanted in India for espionage, criminal
conspiracy, murder, terrorist activities, illegal possession
of firearms, providing training to terrorists, helping
conspirators of the Bombay bomb blast by providing them
logistic support, etc.
- Esmail Haji Ahmed Ebrahim: His
Notice Control No. is A-247/5-1996. He is involved in
criminal conspiracy, terrorist activities and bomb blast.
He is fluent in Hindi, English, Marathi and Gujarati.
No definite information about his hideout is available
at the moment.
It is believed that he also played
a role in hatching the conspiracy of serial bomb blasts
in Rajdhani Express, ex-Bombay to New Delhi; ex-New Delhi
to Howrah; ex-Howrah to New Delhi, Flying Queen Express,
ex-Surat to Bombay, and AP Express, ex-Hyderabad to New
Delhi on 5/6 Dec. 1993.
He also helps one criminal Taufique
Siddique Jaliwala and looks after his illegal activities
and his bank accounts in Dubai. He frequently visits Nepal,
Dubai and other Gulf countries from his secret base.
