Liaquat Shah, who as per National Investigation Agency was falsely implicated in a terror case, told dna on Wednesday that he would be forced to file a 'defamation suit' against Delhi police if the government of India fails to deliver him justice.
Liaquat Shah, who as per National Investigation Agency was falsely implicated in a terror case, told dna on Wednesday that he would be forced to file a 'defamation suit' against Delhi police if the government of India fails to deliver him justice.
Reiterating his demand that the Delhi police officers involved in the probe should be punished to set a good precedent, Shah said he has faith in the country's judiciary and expect justice for what he has gone through. "I hope the government sets a good precedent and punish these officers. Otherwise, it would once again demoralise innocent people who want to come back from across the border and live peacefully in Kashmir," Shah told dna over phone. He said he could not attend last hearing in NIA court in Delhi due to the delay in receiving summons. The case is again slotted for hearing on April 6.
After NIA filed a chargesheet in court and its subsequent report to Home Ministry blaming special cell officers for faux pas, Delhi police are on backfoot. Earlier this month, as reported exclusively by dna, Delhi police filed an affidavit in NIA court defending its position, but withdrew it within hours.
Later, Delhi police wrote to Delhi government seeking permission to appoint four high-profile lawyers to defend special cell in the case. Delhi government has not given the permission.
Shah, 45, who is finding it hard to sustain in Kashmir, said he sold his land to fight the case. "My two sons – aged 18 and 22 – are daily wagers and the whole family sustains on their income. I have to take care of my 22-year old physically-challenged daughter as well," said Shah, who lives in a single room at his brother's place in Kupwara district of north Kashmir. His wife, who he had married in Muzaffarabad, died of a heart attack after he was arrested in 2013. His 15-year old son from this marriage is still in Muzaffarabad.
"I hope state and central governments would take cognisance of my situation," Shah said adding, "I have to borrow money from people every time I travel to appear for hearing in the case. Now I am under huge debt."
Special cell of Delhi police arrested Shah from Sanauli village at Indo-Nepal border in March 2013, claiming he was planning to carry out terror strikes in the capital on the eve of Holi. After the arrest, then J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah triggered a political controversy saying Shah was returning along with his third wife and daughter from Muzaffarabad, under the rehabilitation policy of the state government for former militants. He had lived across the Line of Control for more than 15 years.
The Home Ministry handed over the investigations to NIA and subsequently Shah was released from Tihar jail on bail in July 2013. NIA in its recent chargesheet stated that Shah was not planning any attack in Delhi. Besides, a DNA test confirmed that Sabir Khan Pathan, who planted weapons at the guest house was a police informer, who went missing immediately after Shah's arrest.
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