By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
New Delhi: Barely a day after the Delhi High Court endorsed the clean chit given to the Delhi Police by the National Human Rights Commission in the September 19, 2008 Batla House encounter case, the prominent residents of Azamgarh under the banner of Association for Welfare, Medical, Educational and Legal Assistance (AWMELA) has approached the President of India seeking her intervention in the case.
In a special meeting in Azamgarh today the AWMELA demanded that “in order to bring to light the truth, trial of Batla House accused should be consolidated and proceeded through a fast track court on daily basis. This is necessary in view of educated youths involved who have an unblemished record.”
The group passed a resolution to this and some other demands and sent to President Pratibha Patil. They have made an online submission of the petition in the Secretariat of the President.
Last year on September 19 the Delhi Police had gunned down two Azamgarh youths – Atif Ameen and Muhammad Sajid whom the police described as terror suspects involved in the Delhi serial blasts that had occurred just a week ago. The police later arrested some other Azamgarh educated youths in the connection of Delhi serial blasts. They have been charge sheeted in the case.
The charge sheet in the case is so voluminous and cases are so many that many human rights groups feel that it is impossible for the trial to reach natural conclusion.
“The number of cases and voluminous charge sheets will exhaust the whole life of these young Muslim boys without bringing the trial to a conclusion,” said AWMELA in the petition signed by its president Dr Javed Akhtar and demanded the President to ensure a fast track court in the case.
“We condemn the delaying tactics on part of prosecution/Police force in Batla House accused trial. The harassment and terrorizing of Muslim youths by Police force/security agencies must stop forthwith in order to protect Human Rights,” the group demanded.
In the petition submitted online to the President the AWMELA has strongly condemned all fake Police encounters like Sohrabuddin, Batla House and Manipur and demanded time bound high level probe under judicial supervision for all such seemingly fake encounters.
The group has deplored the NHRC report on Batla House where the Commission “felt so constrained that it could not even visit L-18 Batla House to ascertain certain vital facts about the building and possible escape routes.”
Last week AWMELA had submitted a petition with the office of the President of India demanding arrest of BJP MP from Azamgarh Ramakant Yadav for the murder of an Ulema Council activist in Phoolpur area of the district on August 12. The Secretariat of the President sent the petition to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for necessary action. Compelled by the mounting pressure the local police arrested the MP on August 25.