Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) Home minister P. Chidambaram Saturday admitted that multiple errors in the list of terrorists hiding in Pakistan was “embarrassing” for the home ministry but said there was no need to apologise to the men who were mistakenly named as fugitives.

“Obviously, it embarrasses the ministry of home affairs,” Chidambaram told CNN-IBN’s Karan Thapar.

Last week, blunders came to light in India’s list of 50 Most Wanted men allegedly hiding in Pakistan that was given to Islamabad in March.

Two men on the list were found to be in India - one out on bail in Thane and another in a Mumbai jail.

“We rely on the lists given by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)… they maintain the list of most wanted against whom red corner notices are given. Please remember mistakes occurred in one part of the list, namely the red corner notices and that is a list prepared by the CBI,” he said.

The minister seemed to refer to his earlier position that the CBI did not fall under the ambit of the home ministry, but the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pension.

“It is embarrassing, it is regrettable. Since the list was handed over formally by the home secretary, we have taken, what I would call constructive responsibility,” he said.

The minister also rebuffed the suggestion that there was any need to apologise to the men, whose name were mistakenly included in the list.

“I don’t think this is a case where we owe anyone an apology. If we owe an apology, if we owe a regret, it’s the regret that we have expressed - that there is a genuine human error in not updating the list. To that extent, I think, we have expressed regret and we remain regretful. But I think you are carrying the argument too far,” he said.