IANS

Mumbai / New Delhi, Jan 6: In a major development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Friday said that one of the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast accused, Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan had been traced in the US. 

'After learning about the presence of the fugitive, who is the subject of Interpol Red Corner notice, CBI has asked Interpol, Washington to confirm about the identity,' the investigative agency said in a statement.

CBI has also sent 'photographs and dossiers of Feroz to the US authorities for the identification purposes'. It has requested the US authorities to 'extradite Feroz to India' so that he could be 'brought to justice'.

Feroz is one of the key conspirators in the Mumbai blast case that claimed at least 257 lives and injured 713.

The investigating agency also said the fugitive had played an important role in the smuggling of illegal arms and explosives into India during January 1993.

A special trial court (TADA court) has held 100 out of 123 accused, including Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, guilty of various offences and is likely to pronounce the sentences shortly.