NewsClick

NewsClick
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Covid-19
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • International
  • Sports
  • Articles
  • Videos
search
menu

INTERACTIVE ELECTION MAPS

image/svg+xml
  • All Articles
  • Newsclick Articles
  • All Videos
  • Newsclick Videos
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • Sports
  • International
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Palestine
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • US
  • West Asia
About us
Subscribe
Follow us Facebook - Newsclick Twitter - Newsclick RSS - Newsclick
close menu
×
For latest updates on nCOVID-19 around the world visit our INTERACTIVE COVID MAP
Politics
India

11 Muslim Persons Acquitted in False Terror Case After 25 Years in Prison

A special TADA court in Nashik ordered their acquittal from all charges due to lack of evidence and violation of TADA guidelines during investigation
Abdul Alim Jafri
01 Mar 2019
11 Muslim Persons Acquitted in False Terror Case After 25 Years in Prison

After spending nearly twenty years behind the bars under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) (TADA) Act and several other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 11 Muslim persons were found "innocent" on Wednesday, February 27 by special TADA court in Nashik.

Judge S.C Khati ordered their acquittal from all charges owing to lack of evidence and violation of TADA guidelines during investigation.

The acquitted persons had been booked under section 120 (B) and 153 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 (3) (4) (5) and Section 4 (1) (4) of TADA act for allegedly planning to avenge the Babri Masjid demolition and for attending terrorist training camps in Pakistan and Kashmir.

Speaking with NewsClick, Shahid Nadeem, legal adviser of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind who was part of the team of lawyers, said, "After the Babri demolition, various communal riots took place across the country. Total 12 people were arrested from Bhusawal in Maharashtra post demolition with the false allegation that they were planning terrorist attacks in the country to avenge the destruction of the Babri masjid and that they had been trained in Pakistan and Kashmir. They were booked under TADA because it was in law that time but ironically, the police had not produced the chargesheet for five months."

 He further stated, “It is only after we approached the High Court with the request to either file a chargesheet or discharge them, that they finally took any action. Meanwhile, the government passed a resolution that the review committee of TADA will first investigate the case, and they will decide whether the Act will be applicable on them or not. The case will proceed further only after that. However, the review committee found that they cannot be booked under TADA or any other section and all the allegations against them are totally false. On the basis of this, the court has ordered their acquittal.”

Also Read: Communal Violence: Police Raid on Muslims’ Houses in 2 Separate Incidents in Gujarat

When asked why it took 25 years to acquit them, Nadeem said, "This case was pending in the Supreme Court for 8 years and there was no hearing. In the meantime, a few accused got bail. Three years earlier, the Supreme Court of India gave a time limit to the special court (TADA), so as to solve this case as soon as possible. It is only then that the matter gained momentum and the case was represented by our lawyer Kamini Jaiswal.”

This was not the first time that Muslims had been booked under such a Draconian law.

NewsClick spoke to Human Rights lawyer Abubakr Sabbaq, who deals with such cases. He said, "The available data suggests that 99 per cent of such cases are of late acquittal but the question is not of acquittal or conviction. The main thing is that it took 25 years for acquittal and how will anyone repay the loss of 25 years. What should we call this? Is this justice or denial of justice or a mockery of justice? Because those people who had conspired against them roaming freely.”

Talking about the lack of accountability of investigative agencies, he said, “The main culprits are roaming freely but these 11 innocent Muslim persons were forced to wait for 25 long years to get justice. There is no accountability of the investigative agencies. They have got the cover of section 197 of CrPC, which means there is no prosecution against them neither is there any judicial accountability. There should be a debate on this issue.” 

Also Read: 'Nearly 200 Muslim Youth Booked Under UAPA After Bahraich Clashes'

Sabbaq added, "In such cases, the power has been given to the investigative agencies, and they use this power politically. And when there is no accountability then, of course, the power will be misused. A sub-inspector registers an FIR and files a case of UAPA, and when somebody is booked under such cases, it is not possible to get bail.”

Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
TADA
False Terror Cases
Minority Discrimination
UAPA
False Arrests of Muslim Persons
Babri Masjid demolition
Lack of Accountability of Police
Illegal Detaining of Muslim Persons
Bhusawal
Nashik
Maharashtra
Related Stories
Delhi Riots: Govt Flattening Protests

Delhi Police in Court: Hum Kagaz Nahi Dikhayenge

Farmers marching from Nashik were stopped at Rajasthan-Haryana border on Friday. Image clicked by Ronak Chhabra

Covering 1,300km, Nashik Farmers Reach Delhi to Make a Point: ‘Anger Resonates Nationwide’

Maharashtra farmers march to Delhi

Maharashtra’s Farmers Reach Rajasthan, to Join Protest Against Farm Laws at Delhi Border

Kisan Bagh, Pune

Farmers’ Protest: Pune’s ‘Kisan Bagh’ to Amplify Farmers’ Voices

bharat bandh

20,000 Protest Sites, 22 States: Farmers’ ‘Bandh’ Call Leaves No Corner Untouched

left parties

'2nd War of Independence to Fight Fascism’: Say Leaders of Left and Secular Parties in Kolkata

UAPA

Rights Organisations Demand Quashing of UAPA, Sedition Charges Against Activists

UAPA

With Low Conviction under UAPA, Punjab Youths Languish in Jail without Legal Recourse

General Strike Nov 26 2020

Workers, Farmers, Fishermen and Hawkers: All Gear up for Strike on 26th

A Tale of Two Arrests: Anchor Arnab Goswami & Activist Stan Swamy

A Tale of Two Arrests: Anchor Arnab Goswami & Activist Stan Swamy

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare via EmailShare on RedditShare on KindlePrint
Share

Related Stories

Suhit K Sen

Global Scrutiny of India’s Human Rights Violations Gathering Critical Mass

26 January 2021
Last Tuesday, 19 January, a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the incarce
Newsclick Report

Digital Media Organisations Condemn Manipur Journalists Being Detained, Slapped with UAPA

19 January 2021
The DIGIPUB News India Foundation has strongly condemned the Manipur police detaining two journalists under IPC Section 124A (Sedition) and also bo
PTI

Delhi Violence: Not Given Access to Charge Sheet in Jail Despite Orders, Accused Tell Court

19 January 2021
New Delhi:  Several accused, booked under the

Pagination

  • Next page ››

More

  • Bihar: Policemen's Association Threatens to Launch Agitation Against Compulsory Retirement of Inefficient Govt Employees over 50 Years

    Bihar: Policemen's Association Threatens to Launch Agitation Against Compulsory Retirement of Inefficient Govt Employees over 50 Years

  • Bandhwari Waste-to Energy Plant Triggers Protests in Gurugram

    Bandhwari Waste-to Energy Plant Triggers Protests in Gurugram

  • Farmers Protests: India Today Takes Rajdeep Sardesai Off Air for Two Weeks

    Farmers Protests: India Today Takes Rajdeep Sardesai Off Air for Two Weeks

  • West Bengal Govt Tables Resolution Against Farm Laws in Assembly

    West Bengal Govt Tables Resolution Against Farm Laws in Assembly

  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with
about