E-Paper
Kin of bizman held in Spain despair after fresh arrests
“We (India) produced Ajmal Kasab in court in 48 hours. So why is Spain taking 13 months to produce my brother?” asked an agitated Mehboob Khan, as reports of another Indian being held in Spain on alleged terror charges was confirmed by Indian authorities, reports Stavan Desai.
“We (India) produced Ajmal Kasab in court in 48 hours. So why is Spain taking 13 months to produce my brother?” asked an agitated Mehboob Khan, as reports of another Indian being held in Spain on alleged terror charges was confirmed by Indian authorities on Wednesday.
The Indian, Jangeet Singh, was arrested on Tuesday with 11 Pakistanis and a Nigerian, on charges of supplying forged documents to international terror groups.
Mehboob’s brother, Mumbai-based olive trader Roshan Jamal Khan (51), was arrested with nine Pakistani nationals by Spain’s Civil Guard last January, in a mosque in Barcelona. They have been charged will allegedly “integrating with a terrorist organisation.”
Roshan was on his second trip to Spain, after starting his olive-trading business two years ago. He has been in a Spanish prison since the arrest, with no formal chargesheet filed against him.
“After his arrest, he was produced before a magistrate on June 18, where his statement was recorded. But our lawyer has not been provided with a copy of it,” said Mehboob. “Even the Indian authorities have not demanded it or provided any help. This despite the Spanish media having reported after his recording his statement that Roshan had been given a clean chit by the Spanish security agencies.”
Roshan’s location has been changed thrice in the 13 months of his detention.
“He was first lodged a prison in Barcelona, then shifted to Madrid, and is now lodged in Leon, making it difficult for even our lawyer to reach him now,” said Mehboob.
Having failed to get any help from Indian authorities, including the Prime Minister’s Office, Roshan’s family is now moving the United Nations Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International.
The family has also started a blog Roshan, where it posts its appeals and developments in the case.
