Acquittal of Mohammad Iqbal after 8 years reveals that Muslims are framed on cooked-up terror charges. If the Samajwadi Party-led government had fulfilled its promise of releasing innocent Muslims languishing in Jails on terror charges for years, Iqbal could have been released much earlier.
Now in the wake of the release of Mohammad Iqbal, the Supreme Court should also take note of the role of investigating agencies in the arrest of Muslim youth and act accordingly. In the case of acquittal of Iqbal, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Union Home Minister and Chief of Intelligence Bureau should explain their stand on such arrests. Compensation should be deducted from the erring officials and given to all those acquitted.
Shahnawaz Alam, spokesman of Rihai Manch, said that Mohammad Iqbal of Shamli who is son of Mohammad Ashra was charged with Sections 307, 121, 121A, 122, 124A of UAPA and 16, 18, 20 and 23 of Indian Penal Code. He was acquitted by a special court in Lucknow. He also said that he was facing terror charges in Delhi from where he was already acquitted. The police had claimed that Mohammad Iqbal along with Jalauddin and Naushad came to Lucknow in June 2008 for terror attack. A resident of Shamli in Uttar Pradesh, Iqbal was arrested on March 21, 2008, after his name came up during the interrogation of two persons – Mohammad Jalaluddin and Naushad.
Rajeev of Rihai Manch said that the manner in which Iqbal was arrested and charged and now after his acquittal expose the highhandedness not only of Uttar Pradesh police but also of Special cell in Delhi. Rajiv also claimed that Iqbal has informed him that a chip was pasted on his body – a fact which requires to be thought of and investigated upon. After his acquittal, it should also be made clear wherefrom the explosive that was shown came from and where it has gone now. Who brought these explosives and how he had acquired it. The court in its proceedings had also said that the person who had delivered the explosives has turned out to be a fake one.
Mohammad Shoaib, who is taking up most of the terror cases in Uttar Pradesh, said that the moment any Muslim is arrested, without losing any time all those from Home Ministry to DGP claim their terrorist links and their possible motives. So after their acquittal, if they think that they are people of this country then they should apologise. But the fact remains, forget about the apology they don’t even feel sad about it. The state government had promised to compensate and rehabilitate all those acquitted in terror charges but nothing has happened so far.
Rihai Manch has demanded adequate compensation for Mohammad Iqbal and has urged the Government to punish all those involved in fabricating him and slapping false charges on him.