Behind the 7/11 acquittals, a authorized cell which labored quietly and tirelessly for 19 years

At late Shahid Azmi’s behest, the cell which began giving authorized support to Muslims, represented choose accused in a number of key terror instances, together with the Akshardham assault, Malegaon 2006 blasts, Godhra railway burning, and Mumbai triple blasts, now sees considered one of its largest victories.

Tucked away within the slim bylanes of Mumbai’s crowded Bhendi Bazar Dongri space is the workplace of Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra, the State chapter of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. “Madam, take a proper reverse the Saboo Siddique hospital. In the primary lane, depart the primary iron gate and enter from the second,” a shopkeeper tells me as I attempt to discover my approach by way of the maze amid the push and the slush throughout the Mumbai outpour.

Inside the 700 sq. ft workplace of one of many oldest Muslim organisations of India, established over a century in the past, is the authorized cell. This small room has supplied hope, braveness and justice to scores of Muslim males who’ve allegedly been wrongly arrested in false instances. And considered one of their largest victories got here this week when the Bombay High Court acquitted 12 accused within the 11 July, 2006, serial bomb blasts in Mumbai which had killed 187 individuals and injured over 800.

The prosecution “totally failed” to determine their guilt past affordable doubt, the Bombay High Court noticed, setting apart the 2015 judgment of the Special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) courtroom, which had awarded loss of life penalty to 5 and life imprisonment to seven others. Pending listening to, the judgement has since been stayed by the apex courtroom, so it isn’t used as a priority in different MCOCA instances, at the same time as it can haven’t any bearing on the acquittal of the 12 accused. Yet, six of these acquitted have already written to the Jamiat, looking for authorized assist for additional hearings within the apex courtroom, after notices are issued.

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“We aren’t celebrating. We are relieved that there’s justice for individuals who have been wrongly implicated on this case. But there isn’t a justice for the victims as but. We nonetheless don’t know who dedicated this heinous crime,” Shahid Nadeem, authorized advisor, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind authorized cell, says. Sitting amid a printer-copier machine, a wood cabinet, his work desk is stuffed with recordsdata and folders with authorized paperwork and petitions. A CCTV digicam perched behind him screens the small cabin.

The authorized cell gives free authorized support to roughly 500 Muslim males, together with these accused in terror instances and booked below the stringent POTA (now repealed), MCOCA and UAPA. They have thus far secured acquittals of some accused within the Akshardham temple assault case, in Malegaon 2006 blasts case, within the 7/11 serial practice blasts case, amongst different instances. In 75 instances throughout the nation thus far, Jamaiat’s authorized cell has been capable of safe the discharge of 318 accused within the final 19 years. “So far, 227 accused have gotten bail in 52 instances throughout India,” says Nadeem.

Shahid Azmi’s function

The cell began offering authorized support to Muslims after Shahid Azmi, a lawyer and human rights activist who was murdered in 2010, indicated to the Jamiat that harmless Muslim males have been being implicated within the 2006 practice blasts case. “We had a authorized cell earlier than that. But that was useful primarily after independence when there have been custodian points about properties after the partition. Maulana Hizdur Rehman Seohari, who was additionally a parliamentarian, had taken lead in it. Jamiat was established within the yr 1919, and through its participation within the freedom wrestle motion, it had opposed the two-nation idea, partition of the nation on spiritual foundation. After independence, the organisation determined to withdraw from electoral politics and give attention to social service as an alternative.

“In 2006, there was terror environment within the nation. At that point, Hazrat Maulana Arshad Madani, who’s presently the Jamiat Ulema president, instructed the Maharashtra unit that we must always assist these harmless Muslims who’re poor, who can’t afford judicial bills,” says Maulana Haleem Ullah Qasmi, General Secretary of the Maharashtra wing of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

“This was the primary case which got here to us. Shahid Azmi instructed us that those that have been arrested have been every day wage labourers, and ought to be helped. We first went to the Supreme Court which despatched us again to the trial courtroom,” he provides.

Selection course of

The Jamiat doesn’t present everybody who approaches them. “We confirm their antecedents first, and supply authorized support provided that our verification course of reveals that the individual is wrongfully arrested, and is in want of assist,” says Nadeem. “When somebody involves us, we take an utility from them. That is how this case (7/11 practice blasts) got here to us,” says Maulana Maulana Haleem Ullah Qasmi.

“The choice course of is sort of stringent. When somebody applies for authorized support, we learn their cost sheet, and we verify their background and whether or not they’re historical past sheeters. That’s why we don’t present authorized support to everybody who approaches us,” says Nadeem.

Systemic accountability

After the Bombay High Court verdict, the authorized cell representatives name for the accountability of the system. “In this case, from the start, the companies have been errant. Their fallacious deeds have come out now. These companies ought to be made accountable. The actual culprits ought to be arrested. Instead of working laborious to try this, the federal government has now appealed within the Supreme Court,” says Maulana Qasmi.

Raising the difficulty of justice for the relations of the victims, he says, “Somone should have dedicated this dasdardly assault. The victims ought to get justice too. Agencies ought to enquire once more and convey the actual culprits to guide. This case is incomplete with out that. Justice just isn’t but served. The innocents have been nabbed. We shudder on the ache of the victims. The accused ought to be arrested and delivered to guide. Justive can be served solely then,” he says.