By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Advocate Muhammad Shoaib of Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court came into light when he defied boycott call of lawyers’ bodies and came up to fight the cases of terror suspects. In an interview with Mumtaz Alam Falahi of TwoCircles.net he says he was attacked by lawyers several times but he did not bend, and he is sure he will win his cases.
Despite lawyers’ bodies call not to take up cases of terror suspects, you took up some such cases. You had to face the wrath of the lawyers. How were you disturbed?
I was attacked at Lucknow, Barabanki and Faizabad – my cases of terror suspects were heard in courts there. In Faizabad, those lawyers gheraoed the court room. As the police presence was heavy they couldn’t hurt me. I was taken out along with the accused in their van. In Barabanki they forced me to write on papers declaring I withdrew myself from the case.
Was it their patriotism that moved lawyers and their bodies to decide not to take up cases of terror suspects?
No patriotism and nationalism at all. They were those who want to divide the country. Among them were lawyers and also police. In Lucknow only those lawyers were behind the move who take contracts of cases. They do not allow other lawyers to take up cases that come under their contracts. Police had identified them and was to take action. But in the garb of patriotism they altered the scene and escaped.
How legal is the move of lawyers’ bodies to boycott and not allow any lawyer to take up a particular case?
It is illegal and unconstitutional. Constitution says every accused has the right to defend himself. And he has right to get services of lawyers of his choice. Laws say if an accused cannot afford to pay legal costs, the government will provide him with counsel. If one goes against these injunctions of the Constitution, he cannot be said patriotic or nationalist.
How strong is police in the terror suspect cases you are pursuing?
They are set to lose as they have nothing except confessions of accused before police. There is no evidence and witness. There is no public witness, rather many are ready to talk in our favor but not ready to come up for fear of police
Are terror probes fair?
No, Muslims are being falsely implicated in terror cases. Except Kashmir where some terror cases involving Muslims may be true, in the rest of the country Muslims generally have been falsely implicated as all terror blasts are fake and have been carried out by some others.