Mumbai police in damage-control mode

A Day after The Indian Express reported how three deported gangsters walked free because case papers and evidence was ‘‘misplaced&...

A Day after The Indian Express reported how three deported gangsters walked free because case papers and evidence was ‘‘misplaced’’ by the Crime Branch, the Mumbai Police on Monday went on record to say it had begun a damage-control operation.

‘‘To avoid such situations in the future, Senior police officers have been instructed to check and update all the relevant documents of other deportees with the concerned investigating officers,’’ said Police Commissioner A.N. Roy.

In all, 12 criminals, who owe allegiance to Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Rajan and other ganglords, have been extradited from the UAE since 2002, using the resources of the Intelligence Bureau and Ministry of External Affairs.

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Now, Roy said, the officers will be regularly updating documents on all the remaining accused, including Dawood’s younger brother Iqbal Kaskar and serial bomb blasts mastermind Ejaz Pathan, who are still in custody.

Information linked to witnesses, criminal records, fingerprints along with data on their home and native addresses and family will be checked and verified.

Most of the criminals have been lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in central Mumbai and their trials are being conducted at the special TADA and POTA courts in the city.

Incidentally, another wanted don, Muthappa Rai, who has been in Bangalore Police’s custody since 2002, has also been acquitted. Rai, wanted in various murder and land grabbing cases, had fled the country in 1994 after killing his rival Amar Alva.

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Rai was deported in April 2002 and handed over to the Bangalore police.

List of deported accused still in custody

		• Ejaz Pathan: Dawood aide; one of the masterminds of the 1993 serial blasts; deported in Feb 2003 • Anil Parab alias Robin: Hitman of Dawood gang; wanted in murder of Shiv Sena corporator Khimbahadur Thapa; deported in April 2003 • Mohammed Altaf, Taufeeq Chhotu alias Yasser and Imran Rehman Khan alias Abu Zuber, Sunny alias Imran Vasai and Altaf Ansari: Masterminds of Ghatkopar and Mulund blasts in 2002 and 2003; deported in 2003 • Iqbal Kaskar: Dawood’s brother; wanted in 1993 blasts case, deported in March 2003 • Majnu Mustafa Dossa: accused in serial blasts; deported in January 2003

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