By Abdul Hameed, TwoCircles.net
Mumbai: Seeing the deteriorating condition of the Malegaon 2006 blast accused Dr. Salman Farsi due to the hunger strike he has been on since March 18, a four-member delegation yesterday tried to meet the Maharashtra Governor SC Jamir.
Since the governor was not present the delegation comprising the wife of Farsi Dr Nafeesa Ansari, advocate Momin Mujib Ahmad, Maulana Abdul Karim Milli and Jamil Ahmad Maseehullah met Prem Chandra Rastogi, chief secretary of the governor.
Putting before him the worsening situation of Farsi the delegation demanded that the interior ministry should allow the family members of the accused to meet him.
‘The Constitution has scope, and we have past examples, that the family members of an accused can meet him/her,’ advocate Momin Mujib Ahmad reportedly said.
The delegation on behalf of Nafeesa handed over a letter to Rastogi (who had been district collector of Ratnagiri) in which she pleaded for her husband’s life. The letter also reads that CBI should be asked to show fastness in the probe.
As per the media reports advocate Momin Mujib told that the chargesheet ATS has filed in the Malegaon September 29, 2008 blasts reveals similarity between Bhikko Chowk (2008) and Qabrastan (2006) blasts. He added that circumstantial evidences and likeness in the way of executing blasts on both the occasions leaves a great probability that Lt. Col. Purohit (arrested and chargesheeted in September 2008 blasts) and his co-accused may be behind the Qabrastan blasts too.
Dr. Salman Farsi, an accused in the Malegaon Shab-e-Barat blasts at Bada Qabrastan and Mushawarat Chowk on September 8, 2006 just after the Juma prayer, has gone on hunger strike since March 18. Claiming that all the accused arrested in connection with the blasts are innocent he is demanding their immediate release.
Arrested by Anti Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra on November 7, 2006 from his house in Govandi Salman Farsi was kept in Arthur Road Jail and then shifted to Ratnagiri Jail. There he started his hunger strike. Owing to the deteriorating situation of Salman the jail doctor admitted him to Ratnagiri Civil Hospital.
Now he has been shifted to J J Hospital and his treatment is going on. His wife Nafeesa tried to meet him in J J Hospital but reportedly the police did not allow her for the same. Nafeesa has requested the leaders of the community and the office bearers to come forward and save the life of her husband.
In the bomb blasts that took place on September 8, 2006 at least 31 persons were killed and more than 250 were injured. Attributing the blasts to the alleged SIMI outfits the ATS arrested only Muslim youths, imposed MCOCA on them and sent them to jail. Dissatisfied with the police investigation Muslims demanded a CBI probe in the matter. After a lot of excuses finally CBI took the responsibly and is yet to submit its report. The agency allegedly did not show any progress. Salman Farsi also demands that the CBI should submit its report the soonest.