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Anti-CAA protests: We are fighting to get more innocents released, says lawyer heading JUH panel
A day after four people, including a government employee, arrested after violent anti-citizenship law protests in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut on December 20, were released
A day after four people, including a government employee, arrested after violent anti-citizenship law protests in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut on December 20, were released on court orders, lawyer Munawwar Hussain said that a panel formed by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) was making efforts to get more innocents released.
Among those released on Tuesday are Khalid, Suhail and Ateek of one family who were reportedly picked up by the police while they were returning home after taking their sick parents to a doctor in Meerut. The fourth person released was Mohd Farooq, who works at the employment department in Muzaffarnagar. It was found that Farooq was in office the whole day on December 20.
“Four students of Sadat Hostel were also falsely implicated in the violence. They are expected to be released from the jail in a couple of days,” said Hussain who heads the JUH panel of eight lawyers.
He said that the panel was currently handling the case of around 15 people who did not have the means to fight their legal battles.
“A total 73 people from the region were booked after violence erupted on December 20. We expect many of these to be innocent. That’s why we are not making any bail applications as of now. We are scrutinising the cases so that innocents can be released without pursuing legal actions,” said Hussain.
“People gave affidavits in support of innocent persons who were falsely implicated. This forced the police to admit their mistake in court. The police had to submit a final report instead of the chargesheet in court. Consequently, the court ordered the release of the four (Khalid, Suhail, Ateek and Farooq),” he added.
When contacted, Satpal Antil, superintendent of police (Muzaffarnagar city), said that he didn’t think that the police had admitted to making any mistake in these cases. “We have not admitted any mistake. There is a provision in section 169 of the CrPC according to which an accused can be released if sufficient evidence is not found against him or her,” he said.
However, Hussain said that the SP’s statement was just an attempt at face-saving.
