By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Three months are maximum time for an unchargesheeted accused to get bail, even those who are facing terror charges — recently some saffron terror accused have got bail on that ground. Fasih Mahmood has spent 105 days in custody of Saudi Government, but he is yet to be produced in any court, leave alone bail. Even for a visit visa to see her husband, Nikhat Perween is running from pillar to post for one month, but neither Saudi nor Indian authorities or political leadership are showing any sympathy with pregnant Nikhat. It seems as if two countries have forgot the ‘lesser mortal’ Fasih.
Fasih, an engineer by profession and native of Darbhanga in Bihar was picked from his home in Al-Jubail in Saudi Arabia on 13th May 2012 in the presence of his wife Nikhat by officers from Saudi Arabia and India. They told her that on the request of India’s External Affairs Ministry he was to be immediately deported to India.
Fasih Mahmood
“They told me that on the request of India’s External Affairs Ministry Fasih is to be immediately deported to India in connection with some cases. When I approached Indian Embassy in Saudi, they did not give any info, and they took him away. I returned to India on 16th May. Here there was no news about his deportation,” says Nikhat.
She emailed to joint secretary of External Affairs Ministry, India on 17th May. She got response on 18th May that her mail has been forwarded to Gulf section of the ministry and she will be informed if they got any information. She talked to the Gulf section and emailed them, they said they have no information about Fasih.
She approached Bihar CM, PM, MEA, MHA, NIA, CBI, governments in Delhi, Karnataka, AP, Mumbai through mail and fax. “Mr Reddy from MEA told me that they don’t know who is Fasih Mahmood and no agency from India is looking for Fasih in any case, we are looking for him because her wife has approached us.”
Nikhat Perween
Then Nikhat moved Supreme Court with a habeas corpus on 24th May. In first five hearings, the government of India feigned ignorance about Fasih’s whereabouts. On 11th July hearing, the government told the court that they had talked to Saudi Government who told them on 26 June that Faish is in their custody.
And now today, Supreme Court has dismissed Nikhat’s habeas corpus petition. She had pinned hope in the apex court that it will force Indian Government to produce Fasih.
“Since then I have no information about my husband. More than three months have passed, I don’t know about his health. The entire family is in mental depression,” Nikhat has now written a letter to the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar seeking his help for a visit visa as she got no response from Saudi embassy and India’s MEA and MHA.
“When the government has admitted that he is in Saudi, I want to meet him. For that purpose I applied for visa at the Saudi Embassy in Delhi on 26th July but got no response. Then moved to MEA and MHA for visit visa on 8 August but not got any response from them either.”
She wrote the letter to CM of Bihar on 12th August and urged: “I and my family are very disturbed. I want to meet you to request to use your offices to secure a visit visa so that I could meet my husband and to ensure an impartial probe into the false allegations to protect my human rights,” Nikhat wrote but 15 days have passed, she has got no response from the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar either.
Chronology of Event
13th May 2012: Fasih picked from his home in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia
16th May 2012: Nikhat Perween returned to India
17th May 2012: Nikhat approached External Affairs Ministry, India
18th May 2012: Ministry informed her mail forwarded to Gulf section of the ministry
19th May to 23rd May 2012: Nikhat approached NIA, CBI, four state governments, no info
24th May 2012: Nikhat filed habeas corpus in Supreme Court
30th May to 30th June 2012: India Govt. feigned ignorance about Fasih before court
11th July 2012: India Govt. told court Fasih is in Saudi custody
26th July 2012: Nikhat applied for visit visa at Saudi embassy in Delhi. No response yet.
8th August 2012: She wrote to MEA, MHA seeking help for visit visa. No response yet.
12th August 2012: She wrote to Bihar chief minister for an appointment. No response yet.
27th August 2012: Supreme Court dismissed habeas corpus
For all stories on Fasih Mahmood since his detention on 13 May 2012
http://twocircles.net/Special%20Reports/where_fasih_mahmood.html