Even as the Mumbai police look for Indian Mujahideen co-founder Roshan Khan, Intelligence Bureau sources say that he might have fled the country.
Khan, according to police records, is a resident of Bhatkal in Karnataka, 150 kms away from Mangalore. He is also known as Riyaz Bhatkal.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Khan controlled the operations of the IM in Karnataka and Maharashtra. He was in charge of supplying arms and ammunition and organising the outfit's finances, along with Abdul Sami.
The Mumbai police had visited Bhatkal in search of Roshan Khan, but the exercise failed to yield any results.
Bhatkal has become a hub for anti-social activities, according to police sources in Bengaluru.
Exclusive: SIMI chief's shocking revelations
IB reports say that several anti-social elements from across the border are trying to take advantage of the communally sensitive nature of the area by brainwashing the local youth.
The police claim that Khan was responsible for most of the recent terror attacks including those in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Delhi.
2 suspected terrorists shot dead in New Delhi
He had allegedly supplied arms and ammunition and organised funds for these attacks. During the interrogation of the five persons arrested by the Mumbai police on September 24, the police learnt that Khan directly interacted with Amir Raza to organise the funds.
According to the Mumbai police, Raza is hiding in Pakistan and controlling the activities of the Indian Mujahideen from there.
The Karnataka police, who are yet to make headway into the Bengaluru serial blasts, is also looking for Khan. Although intelligence reports suggest that latest 'most wanted man' has fled the country, they are hopeful of nabbing his accomplices.
More from rediff