In a major embarrassment to the Mumbai police, the man who killed music baron Gulshan Kumar has fled the country.

Abdul Rauf Daud merchant -- the only convicted accused in the sensational murder case -- was granted furlough in March after being in prison for eight years. He was allowed to leave the prison in April.

On March 2 this year, a division bench of the high court had granted furlough to Merchant.

Once every two years a convict can avail of furlough, which is essentially a 14-day leave from jail to visit family or for personal work. During this time, the convict has to report regularly to the local police station and return to jail at the end of 14 days.

Merchant, initially reported to the Mumbra police station for the first week when he came out of jail in April, but then subsequently stopped. Police sources say he may be in Bangladesh.

Rauf pulled the trigger on Gulshan Kumar -- the owner of T-Series as he stepped out of a Shiv Temple in Andheri in August 1997. Nineteen people were accused in the case including Rauf's brother Rasheed. But only Rauf was convicted.

Abdul Rauf Daud Merchant, the only convicted killer in the sensational Gulshan Kumar murder fled India for Bangladesh last month while on furlough.