On Tuesday, the special sessions court of Cuttack gave its verdict in the case of famous Islamic scholar Maulana Abdurrahman Katki, arrested on charges of having links with the banned terrorist organization Al-Qaeda. The court had reserved the decision in the last hearing after the arguments of the lawyers of both the sides were completed, which was released on Tuesday.
It is noteworthy that last month, the Supreme Court of India, while hearing the bail plea of Maulana Abdurrahman Katki, had given strict instructions to the sessions court to complete the hearing of the case within two months.
Decision reserved after hearing arguments from both sides
Following the instructions of the Supreme Court, the prosecution completed the testimony of the two officers investigating the case and also recorded the statements of other witnesses. After this the prosecution requested the court to hear the final arguments. The court first recorded the statement of the accused under Section 313 and then after hearing the final arguments of both the parties, reserved the decision.
Three separate cases filed
Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra Legal Aid Committee advocated the case of Maulana Abdurrahman Katki from the sessions court to the Supreme Court. Three separate cases were registered against Maulana Abdurrahman Katki in Delhi, Jamshedpur and Cuttack on charges of having links with Al-Qaeda. Senior advocate Nitya Rama Krishnan, appearing on behalf of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind in the Supreme Court, had told the court that 20 witnesses who testified against the accused have retracted their previous statements, yet they are being kept in jail.
Strict instructions to complete the hearing soon
However, the Additional Solicitor General of India had opposed it. After hearing the arguments of both the parties, a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant had given strict instructions to the trial court to complete the hearing expeditiously instead of granting bail to the accused. After this, the hearing of the case gained momentum and the court gave its verdict.
Jamiat Ulema Legal Aid Committee had filed petitions thrice in the High Court and twice in the Supreme Court for the bail of Maulana Abdurrahman Katki, but each time the courts had refused to grant him bail citing serious allegations.
It took 10 years to get justice
Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani, reacting to this decision, said that this decision has once again proved that the lives of Muslim youth are being ruined by arresting them on terrorism charges without sufficient evidence. He said that in this case also it took 10 years to get justice.
He said that Maulana Abdur Rahman Katki’s innocence being proved is a big day for his family, because they had to wait for 10 years for this. He must have spent these 10 years in extremely painful circumstances between hope and despair, which cannot even be imagined.
Big success of Jamiat’s legal cell
Maulana Madani said that this is another big success of the legal cell of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, as a result of whose legal battle Maulana Katki got justice. He said that Jamiat has been demanding for a long time that accountability of investigating agencies and police should be fixed. Until this happens, innocent people’s lives will continue to be ruined under the cover of anti-terrorism laws and other harsh laws.
Muslims are the easiest target
He said in clear words that in the current political circumstances, Muslims have become the easiest target for the police and investigative agencies. Maulana Madani also said that in such cases, where public sentiments flare up, anyone is made a criminal through a biased media trial.
Press conferences are held first and evidence is searched later. He said that due to lack of accountability, law enforcement agencies get a free hand to declare whoever they want as criminals. Neither any account of them is taken nor any questions are asked of them.
He said that this exemption has made these agencies unbridled. The biggest example of this is this case, in which it took 10 years to get justice. An innocent man was ultimately honorably acquitted, but those who ruined his life were not even questioned, nor will the victim receive any compensation.
Punishment for those who ruin the lives of innocent people
Maulana Arshad Madani said that in his view this justice is incomplete. This tragic trend will not end until accountability is held and those who ruin the lives of innocent people are punished. Under the guise of law, the lives of innocent people will continue to be played with and the media will continue to defame a particular section of the country by running a propaganda campaign against it.
Biased attitude betrays the profession of journalism
He also expressed strong displeasure over the fact that the so-called national media, especially the biased electronic media, creates an uproar at the time of arrest of Muslims and starts media trials against them. But when the same people are honorably acquitted by the court, then the media becomes completely silent. He said that this partisan attitude is a betrayal of the profession of journalism.
End of decade long legal struggle
Expressing happiness over the court’s decision, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra President Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi said that the decade-long legal struggle has come to an end and Maulana Abdur Rahman has got justice. He said that the verdict has cleared the way for Maulana’s release from jail. He said that this legal battle was not at all easy, but Jamiat Ulema continued to advocate the case. During this period, Jamiat Ulema had to approach the High Courts several times.
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