Alleging that her son Khwaja Yunus—an accused in the Ghatkopar blast case—was killed by police officers, Asiya Begum began an indefinite dharna at Azad Maidan on Tuesday.
MUMBAI: Alleging that her son Khwaja Yunus—an accused in the Ghatkopar blast case—was killed by police officers, Asiya Begum began an indefinite dharna at Azad Maidan on Tuesday.
Asiya Begum believes that Yunus, who is missing, has been killed by police officers Praful Bhosale, Rajaram Vanmane, Hemant Desai, Sachin Vaze and Ashok Khot. She demanded that they all be arrested forthwith under the Prevention of Terrorist Activities (Pota) Act.
Police inspector Bhosale said, “I cannot comment on the case since it is sub judice.”
Asiya, who came all the way from Parbhani in Marathwada, said, “My non-resident Indian son Syed Khwaja Yunus was a qualified instrumental engineer and the sole bread-winner of in the family. Employed in Dubai with Germany-based Wika Middle East Company, he earned Rs50,000 per month. In December 2002, after spending two years in the Gulf, he returned to Parbhani for Ramzan Eid.”
Asiya Begum said, “On December 25, 2002, Mumbai crime branch officials visited our native place in Parbhani and inquired about Yunus. Yunus then had gone for a picnic with his friends at Chikhaldara, a sanctuary in Vidarbha. We asked him to come back which he did and surrendered to the police.”
A distraught Asiya said that on January 7, 2003, the Mumbai police claimed that Yunus had escaped from police custody. In its judgement dated April 7, 2004 and April 30, 2004, the Bombay high court rejected the police contention that Yunus had fled custody and observed that the police misled the court by giving false evidence on oath. It also directed the state CID to investigate the case.
She said, “Even after 22 months of this judgment, the CID has been unable to locate my son. I am waiting for the last three years to give him a decent burial according to the Islamic Shariat.”
Bhosale, Vhanmane, Desai, Vaze and Khot were arrested by the CID last year and later released on bail. After their arrest, they were suspended from the service by police commissioner AN Roy.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}