By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations, (NCHRO), has demanded that the Hyderabad police delete the name of Lateef Mohammed Khan, general secretary of the Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee, (CLMC), Hyderabad, and executive council member of NCHRO from the very serious criminal offence case registered against him namely under Cr. No.198/2007 of Gopalapuram police station on June 15, 2007.
Lateef has been accused of offences of criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Government of India, Sedition etc.
A Press release issued by Dr V.M Abdul Salam, secretary NCHRO, has termed the action of the Hyderabad police in implicating Lateef as very condemnable. NCHRO strongly condemned the action of the Hyderabad police and expressed its solidarity with him and CLMC.
The case was registered by the police under serious provisions of law only on the basis of some CDs allegedly containing inflammatory speeches. Apart from Lateef Mohammed about 64 persons have been booked in this case. But the investigations in connection with this FIR has not revealed any evidences to prove them guilty. Lateef is shown as accused No. 42. This is allegedly based on the confession of one Yaser (Mohammed Muqeemuddin) who has been arrested recently in connection with this case. Alleged confession in fact does not make out any case against Lateef Mohammed Khan, the release stressed.
The release stated that action of the Hyderabad police is said to be a mere tool of harassment intended to cover up for the failure of the police to uncover the actual conspiracy and the actual perpetrators of the Mecca Masjid, Gokul chat and Lumbini Park bomb blasts. It is a shameful abuse of power.
According to the Press release Lateef was continuously protesting against this type of abuse of power by police whenever it happened. He had drawn the attention of the Press and the Government to instances of illegal detention and torture by Hyderabad police after the above said blasts. He had assisted the family members of the victims of torture to file petitions. He has talked to the prisoners and brought into light the tales of their torture. He has assisted every enquiry including that by the State Minorities Commission into these atrocities.
Lateef has also filed a suit for the damages along with eminent human rights activists Teesta Setalvad and Harsh Mandar against Hyderabad police for the torture inflicted on the detenus. The case against him is nothing but an attempt to silence his voice, the release added. ([email protected])