By TCN News,
New Delhi: Khudai Khidmatgar, a Delhi-based civil group, on Tuesday approached Chief Justice of India over violation of Supreme Court (D K Basu) guidelines by police while arresting Muslim youths in terror cases. The group, which recently conducted peace and justice caravan from Batla House to Mecca Masjid, approached the CJI through an open letter urging him to “take cognizance of the matter, and issue instructions as deemed necessary.”
“Sir, Police and other security agencies are routinely flouting the rule of law, violating D K Basu guidelines regarding arrest, fabricating false cases, and illegally arresting (Muslim) youth. Because of the police terror and fear of being falsely implicated, arrested, and tortured in police custody, the victims’ families and even social activists are reluctant to raise this issue in public,” read the letter sent by Faisal Khan of Khudai Khidmatgar.
Khudai Khidmatgar’s interaction with peace activists and the families of those, who have been arrested – including those subsequently acquitted – across the country, reveals that the D K Basu guidelines on arrest, laid down by the Honourable supreme Courte of India, are being flouted with impunity. In fact, in most cases, the arrests of these innocent youth can be more appropriately termed as kidnapping by the Police, he said.
“In view of the increasing menace of false arrests and flouting of the rule of law and guidelines regarding arrest, Khudai Khidmatgar requests the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India to take cognizance of the matter, and issue instructions as deemed necessary,” he wrote.
Talking to TCN, Khan said: “During the yatra, I felt people/victim families are frightened to come out and complaint against such arrests.”
He is critical of civil groups as well as Muslim organizations for not raising the issue as strongly as it required.
“Muslim organizations should have much earlier protested against the issue. However, though late they are gathering courage now to speak against the arrests,” Khan added.
However, he is categorical that the arrest of innocent Muslims should not be taken as a Muslim issue or in communal perspective, rather it is an issue of Justice.
“This is not an issue of Muslims. It is an issue of justice,” Khan said.