NEW DELHI, Jan 30: A special court today fixed April 6 to consider the NIA’s charge sheet giving clean chit to Sayyed Liyaqat Shah, who was labelled as a terrorist of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen two years ago by the special cell of Delhi Police.
The matter came up for hearing before District Judge Amar Nath and the court fixed it for futher proceedings on April 6.
Meanwhile, advocate Asim Ali, who appeared for Liyaqat, moved a plea seeking exemption from personal appearance on behalf of his client contending that Liyaqat was on his way to Delhi to attend the hearing but due to blockage on the way, he would be able to come only tomorrow. The court allowed the plea seeking exemption for the day only.
The NIA, in its charge sheet, has named absconder Sabir Khan Pathan as the main accused who had allegedly planted weapons on Liyaqat to project him as a terrorist.
The NIA, while absolving Liyaqat of terror charges, has submitted the report to the Union Home Ministry seeking permission to carry out investigation against some Delhi Police officials for allegedly “conspiring” to target Liyaqat.
He was arrested by the Special Cell on March 20, 2013 when he was returning from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir to the Kashmir valley via Nepal at Saunali border with his wife and children. Liyaqat was then projected as a terrorist who had come to carry out strikes in the national capital.
Jammu and Kashmir Police had protested the arrest, saying Liyaqat was returning home as per the State Government’s policy of allowing people, who had ex-filtrated to PoK in early 1990s, to come back.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had then flagged the issue about Liyaqat’s arrest with the Home Ministry.
Special Cell had earlier claimed that on the basis of Liyaqat’s disclosure statement, it had also conducted a raid at Room No 304, Haji Arafat Guest House at Jama Masjid here and had recovered arms, ammunition and explosives.
The NIA contradicted the claims of Delhi Police and said in its charge sheet that the probe conducted by it has “revealed that charges against the accused (Liyaqat) were not proved and that he was coming into India to obtain the benefit of the surrender policy of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.”
NIA also said that Khan was allegedly responsible for the placement of weapons and explosives in the guest house room and he had booked the room at Haji Arafat Guest House in Jama Masjid. Khan was declared as a proclaimed offender by court. (PTI)
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