New Delhi. DAMAN VIRODHI ANDOLAN has demanded for prosecution of police officials and others Involved in the murder of Khalid Mujahid in police Custody and for release of innocent Muslim youths Languishing in jail.

ND Pancholi, senior lawyer, Human right activist and Convener of Daman Virodhi Andolan said here that it is a matter of serious concern that more than 18 days have passed when Khalid Mujahid was killed in police custody but the UP government has not taken any step to arrest and prosecute those who are involved. Khalid Mujahid was found dead on 19th May 2013 when he was being taken back to Lucknow from Faizabad after being produced in court.

Khalid Mujahid and his co-accused Tariq Qasmi were arrested in December, 2007 and implicated in serial blast cases which took place in November, 2007 in Faizabad and Lucknow. Trial of the case dragged on for about five years without any logical conclusion for the simple reason that the police had no reliable evidence against the accused. Meanwhile Nimesh Commission which had been set up to inquire into the truthfulness of charges against the accused had found that both the accused were wrongly implicated in the case. As a result of this finding, the case against both the accused was required to be withdrawn but the Public prosecutor filed a defective application for withdrawal which was summarily rejected by the Court. To complicate the matter further and to thwart the course of justice, Khalid Mujahid was mysteriously killed on 19th May 2013 in police custody.

Shri Pancholi said, “More disturbing events followed. The participants in a demonstration to protest against the custodial killing of Khalid Mujahid were brutally attacked and injured by the communal elements of Hindutva brand. Mohd. Saleem, Advocate, amongst others, was badly hit and bled profusely. As if it was not enough, the Faizabad Bar Association, as per reports, expelled some of those advocates from its roll and withdrew its facilities allotted to them who had participated in peaceful protest. The action of the Faizabad Bar Association is deplorable being undemocratic and unconstitutional.

“The aforesaid developments are ominous and harmful to our democratic and secular fabric. There is already growing anger and resentment in Muslim community as large number of its innocent youths is languishing in various jails on fabricated charges. Inspite of Sachhar Commission Report which high lights large-scale discriminations and deprivations faced by the members of the Muslim community, the governments seem to be totally oblivious to its plight and no concrete steps are being taken to address the troublesome issues. Progressive sections of society are continuously urging the state authorities to address the issues seriously. The ‘dharna’ of Rihai Manch at Lucknow has entered 19th day to press its demands for release of innocent youths and for punishing the guilty officials but there is no positive response from the government. Such incidents as of custodial killing of Khalid Mujahid at Lucknow or of Quateel Siddiqui in Pune jail last year, coupled with large number of innocent Muslim youths languishing in various jails, show that the Muslim community is at receiving end” said Mr. Pancholi.

ND Pancholi (Convener), Ravi Nair, Arun Kaji, Mushtaq Ahmad, Salar M.Khan,Syed Ashraf H. Rizvi, Vidya Bhushan Rawat, Gurdeep Singh, Musharraf Hussain, Wasim Ahmad, Dr. M. Manzoor Alam, All members of Co-ordination Committee Daman Virodhi Andolan called upon the UP government to immediately take appropriate steps for release of innocent youths languishing in jails. If withdrawal of cases against them is not allowed by the courts, in that case prosecution can endeavour for their release on bail. We further urge upon the state government to immediately arrest the guilty police officials responsible for murder of Khalid Mujahid and for fabricating false cases against him and his co-accused. We also call upon the Faizabad Bar Association to withdraw expulsion orders against the advocates who have been expelled and restore to them all the facilities to which they are entitled.

"There is no doubt that death of Khalid Mujahid in police custody is a cold blooded murder with connivance of state officials and others who are afraid to face the findings of the Nimesh Commission. The Post mortem report has not yet reached any conclusion for cause of death of Khalid Mujahid but the state officials, including the Ministers of UP govt., are trying to pass it off as a natural death!" said Daman Virodhi Andolan's leaders.

Hastakshep