Gulzar Azmi – Passion for justice keeps the Septuagenarian going

By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,

Mumbai: Terror attacks are happening frequently in every part of the country. So are the arrests and detentions of Muslim youths after each such attack. Initially it was difficult for anyone -- be it a lawyer or any NGO -- to get involved with terror related cases. Advocate Farhana Shah, who is fighting some terror related cases, says: “After 1993 blasts in Mumbai it was unthinkable to take the cases of blast accused but it’s only later when these cases started happening at regular interval and Muslims are picked up and sent behind the bar that we started to fight for the accused who we think are innocent.”

With the services of slain Adv. Shahid Azmi and committed team of other eminent lawyers like Adv. Mubin Solkar, Adv. Wahab and Adv. Khalid Azmi, Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind Maharashtra (Arshad Madani) has a unique distinction in fighting these cases for the accused. Jamiat is the only Muslim organization which is legally fighting for hundreds of youths implicated in terror cases. The man behind the Jamiat fight is a septuagenarian.

Gulzar Azmi, General Secretary, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra

Gulzar Azmi, Gen. Secretary of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, heads the legal cell of the organization. He is in his 70’s but very regular and punctual in his work at the Jamiat office. Sheer passion for Justice is the only qualification Gulzar Azmi has.

Sharing his experience with TwoCircles.net he says, “It was difficult earlier and even now not easy to fight the cases of those who are charged for terrorist attack like blasts.” On the charges of defending terror accused he says, “Terrorists who are killing innocents are not human, they must be given severe punishment but in many cases, after our investigation, we found these accused very poor and innocent, so we took up the cases and won for them.” For example, he said, “the cases of Fahim Ansari and Dr. Abdul Mateen, we got them acquitted by the court.”

Gulzar Azmi provides the list of cases Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra is fighting. He asks the people to pray that terrorists are brought to justice and innocents are set free.

1) 26/11 case - Fahim Ansari. The accused was represented by the Jamiat – MCOCA Case No. 175/09. Hon. Court acquitted the accused. Adv. Shahid Azmi represented the accused. State filed an appeal against the order of Hon. Lower Court. Hon. High Court rejected the appeal of State and confirmed the acquittal order of Hon. Lower Court. In High Court Adv. R.B. Mokashi and Adv. Khalid Azmi represented the accused. Thereafter Jamiat filed a Caveat application through Adv. Manish Mohan but now state filed an appeal against the order of Hon. HC in Supreme Court. Now matter is pending in Supreme Court.

2) Sutli Bomb Blast Case. Two accused were represented by the Jamiat – Case No. 616/09- Hon. Lower Court acquitted the accused- Matter is disposed off. The matter was looked by Adv. Anjali Contractor.

3) Sandip Maingade Case - One accused was represented by the Jamiat – Session Case No. 365/08- Hon. Lower Court convicted the accused. Hence appeal was filed in High Court against the order of Hon. Lower Court in Criminal Appeal No. 607/09. Thereafter Hon. High Court acquitted the accused - Matter is disposed off. The matter was looked by Adv. Wahab khan.

4) Mumbai Train Blast case - 7/11 case. Thirteen accused were represented by the Jamiat – MCOCA No. 21/06. Trial is going on. About 100 witnesses have recorded their statement. Adv. Wahab Khan, Adv. Shetty, Adv. Rasal are conducting the matter.

5) Aurangabad Arms Case. Twenty One accused were represented by the Jamiat. Case MCOCA No.16/06. Charge is not framed, hence matter pending for charge. Jamiat is now going to file a Writ petition in Hon. Supreme Court for Speedy trial. In SC the matter is looked by Adv M.S. Khan.

6) Malegaon Blast 2006 case. Nine accused are represented by the Jamiat. Case MCOCA No.23/06- National Investigation Agency is investigating the matter. Probe is in progress. Matter is pending for submission of charge sheet by the N.I.A. Now the matter is looked by Adv. Khalid Azmi and Adv. Wahab Khan.

7) Swati Sathe Case – Jail authority assaulted the accused –The Jamiat filed a writ petition through the accused’s son Mr. Sohail Sheikh before the Hon. HC bearing Cri. Writ Petition No. 1377/08- After disposal of matter Hon. HC ordered that departmental enquiry should be taken-Hence against this order Jail authority filed a Special Leave petition No.6390-6394 and Jamiat filed reply for this writ petition. Matter is in the Hon. Supreme Court. Adv. Abhay Kumar is looking the matter in S.C.

8) Gulbarga Case. One accused is represented by the Jamiat. Convicted by the Lower Court, got Life Imprisonment. Now Jamiat filed an appeal in Karnataka H.C Bench Gulbarga- Case No. – Cri. Appeal No. 3645/10- Adv. Majid Memon is conducting the matter.

9) Akshardham Mandir Case - Five accused are represented by the Jamiat. Lower Court convicted the 6 accused – one got 10 yr, another one life imprisonment and three others were convicted for death sentence, one accused was granted bail. Jamiat filed Appeal in S.C – SLP No. 7292/10. SC stayed death sentence. The matter is being conducted by Adv. Anis Suhrawardy.

10) Harin Pandiya Case –Ahmadabad. Nine accused are represented by the Jamiat. Lower Court convicted the accused for life imprisonment. Jamiat filed an appeal in Ahmadabad HC. Cri. Appeal No. 6282/08. Matter is pending now. Bail application filed by Jamiat was rejected by the Hon. HC. Adv. Nitya Madam is conducting the matter.

L-R: Gulzar Azmi, Yasmin Ansari, wife of Fahim Ansari, and Usman Ansari, brother of Fahim Ansari in Jamiat office in Mumbai

11) Tiffin Bomb Blast Case – Ahmadabad. Four accused are represented by the Jamiat. Lower Court convicted the accused for 10 yrs. Then Jamiat filed an appeal against the order of Hon. Lower Court but State also filed an appeal against this order for enhancement of the sentence. Hon. HC dismissed Jamiat’s appeal and allowed the appeal of State for enhancing the sentence of 10 yrs. to life imprisonment. Jamiat filed an appeal in SC against the order of Hon. HC. SLP No. 3571-3573. Adv. Ejaz Maqbool is conducting the matter.

12) CRPF Case Rampur. Eight accused are represented by the Jamiat. Case No. 210/08. The matter is pending for charge frame in Lower Court. Adv. M. S. Khan is conducting the matter.

13) American Center Attack case - Calcutta. Seven accused were represented by the Jamiat – 2 accused were convicted for death, 3 convicted for 7 yr. and 2 were acquitted. Now Jamiat filed an appeal in SC against the death sentence. Now death sentence is stayed. Adv. Nitya Madam is conducting the matter.

14) Indian Mujahideen (IM) case. Jamiat filed SLP in SC- SLP No.14/10 in regard all Indian Mujahideen cases throughout India. Notice issued by the Hon. SC to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, giving them 4 week time for filing their reply. Adv. M. S. Khan is conducting the matter.

15) IM case Delhi. Thirteen accused are represented by the Jamiat. There were 5 different cases --FIR No. 418/08,419/08 etc. Trial is going, 5 witnesses have deposed. Adv. M. S. Khan is conducting the matter.

16) IM case Mumbai. Fourteen accused are represented by the Jamiat. Case MCOCA No. 4/09. Charge is not framed, hence matter pending for charge.

17) IM case Ahmadabad & Surat. Sixty-seven accused are represented by the Jamiat. S.C. No.38/09. Charge framed and one witness has been examined. Adv. Khalid Sheikh, Adv. Altaf Sheikh, Adv. Delshad Pathan and Senior Adv. L.R. Pathan, Adv. Javed Pathan, Adv. I.M Munishi, Adv. M.M. Sheikh, Adv. A.N. Alvi -- these advocates are conducting the matter.

18) Qamar Afghani case. One accused is represented by the Jamiat. S.C. No. 150/08. Trial is going on. Nine witnesses have deposed. Adv. Mokashi is conducting the matter.

19) Memco. Four accused are represented by the Jamiat. Out of them Hon. Lower Court has convicted two accused in Spl. POTA case no. 6/04 for life imprisonment. Jamiat filed an appeal in HC Ahmadabad. Matter is pending.

20) Abdul Latif case, Chandigrah. Three accused are represented by the Jamiat. Hon Lower Court convicted the accused for life imprisonment- case no. 15/2000. Thereafter Jamiat filed an appeal in HC and State also filed an appeal in HC for enhancing sentence of accused to death sentence. Now the matter is pending at HC. Adv. B.S. Sodhi is conducting the matter.

21) Dhule Riot Case. Near about 250 accused are represented by the Jamiat – Session Case No. 686/06 etc- Hon Lower Court acquitted the accused in most of the matter and other matters are pending for trial. Adv. Nadeem Ansari is conducting the matter.

22) Arms hauls at Tilak Nagar Railway Station-(Khlilur Rahman). One accused is represented by the Jamiat. S.C.No. 406/09. Trial is going on. Nine witnesses have been examined. Adv. Adenwala is conducting the matter.

23) Gateway of India & Zaveri Bazar Blast Case. Two accused are represented by the Jamiat. Case No. POTA 1/04. Hon Lower Court convicted the accused for death sentence and other accused acquitted. Thereafter Jamiat filed an appeal in HC and State also filed an appeal at HC. Now the matter is pending at HC at Bombay.

24) Mulund Ghatkoper Blast Case. Six accused are represented by the Jamiat. Case No. POTA 2/03. Hon Lower Court granted bail to 5 accused except one accused. Now the matter is pending. Adv. Wahab Khan is conducting the matter.