By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Mumbai: Jamiat Ulema Malegaon has written a memorandum to newly appointed Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Himanshu Roy demanding discharge of nine innocent Muslims implicated in 2006 Malegaon blast case. They have also demanded not to arrest innocent Muslims only on the basis of suspicion.
The 2006 Malegaon blast case has seen many turns over the years. The local police and ATS had arrested nine Muslim men and had filed a charge sheet against them. Then, in February 2007, the state transferred the case from state ATS to the CBI. The CBI completed its investigation and filed a supplementary charge sheet, again implicating the nine arrested accused.
Malegaon Blasts: September 29, 2008. The bomb here was mounted on a Hero Honda [Photo: Outlookindia]
Lastly, in April 2011, the Centre handed over the investigation to the NIA after right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand, in his confessional statement under section 164 of Criminal Code, allegedly accepted that a Hindu group was involved in the blast.
The NIA then took over the investigation and subsequently four Hindu men viz. Manohar Narwariya, Rajendra Chaudhary, Dhan Singh and Lokesh Sharma were arrested and accused Ramchandra Kalasangra, Ramesh Mahalkar and Sandeep Dange were shown wanted. The NIA had also filed a supplementary charge sheet in the case.
In effect of the Aseemanand’s confession, the nine Muslim youth earlier charged, were granted bail. The bail application of these nine innocent Muslims was not opposed by the NIA. These Muslims were released from prison after spending 5 years of their lives.
Subsequently, these nine Muslims had filed discharge application before the Mumbai session court. The court had asked the ATS, CBI and NIA to respond on the application.
In their response NIA had told the court that no evidence was found against the nine accused and, hence, pleaded the court to deliver an appropriate order. Couple of months later the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in their reply had held that since the NIA has carried out its investigation and also filed a charge sheet in the case, it has no additional ground or material for submitting its say in the matter. Thereby these two central agencies had given clean chit to these nine Muslim youth.
It’s been more than 5 months and the state ATS has not yet filed its reply before the court and hence the discharge application of nine youth, falsely accused in Malegaon 2006 blast case is still hanging without an order.
The previous ATS chief Rakesh Maria has been promoted to the post of Mumbai Commissioner and his previous post has been filled by Himanshu Roy. Jamiat Ulema Malegaon realized that it is necessary to inform the matter of 2006 Malegaon blast case to new chief so that ATS may not bargain more time before the Mumbai session court to file reply on discharge application of nine innocent Muslim accused and therefore wrote a memorandum to him urging to clear the way of discharge of nine innocent Muslim accused from Malegaon 2006 blast case.
Non filing of reply by ATS is obvious because it cannot contradict its own charge-sheet which has been submitted before the court where they have accused these nine Muslim persons and have pointed out in detail their individual roles in orchestrating Malegaon 2006 blasts. The role of state ATS and especially its then chief Raghuwanshi, in the investigation of Malegaon 2006 has always been objected by many Muslim groups and their miss-guided and bias investigation has come to the light with the arrest of Hindus across the country.
What is more embarrassing is that even the officer of caliber Mr Rakesh Maria, who was ATS chief till now, did not respond to the discharge application filed by these Muslim youth and did not respond for five months. Recently his complicity in investigation of terror related cases has also came under scanner after the alleged confession by Yaseen Bhatkal wherein he has not named convicted Qateel Siddiqi in German Bakery 2010 blast.
Jamiat Ulema (Arshad Madni) Maharashtra, Jamiat Malegaon and Kul Jamati Tanzeem had supported these nine Muslim youth throughout their agony before the court and are continuing their legal battle even after bail of these accused. These NGOs have also helped in filing security bonds of Rs 50,000 each before court to ensure that these innocent inhale free air out of the prison.
Related:
2006 Malegaon blast: Notice to ATS, CBI, home ministry