StormShadow
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A special court situated inside the Arthur Road prison in Mumbai has refused to grant permission to the alleged members of banned organisation Indian Mujahideen (IM) to have food prepared at home for sehri (morning meal to start the fast) and iftaar (breaking the fast) during Ramzan, which begins June 30.
The application was filed by all the 23 accused facing trial, including Afzal Usmani who escaped from the court premises and was re-arrested by the ATS, Mansoor Peerbhoy, alleged IN media wing head, Sadik Asrar Shaikh, who was discharged from the train blasts case, Asif Bashir Khan and others.
Designated MCOCA court judge A.L. Pansare rejected the application for food from home with the observation that if such facility was provided to these undertrials, then other accused of different faiths and religions would also ask for the same facilities for their festivals.
The judge said, “Jail authorities in their report have said that food will be provided to the accused by them.” The application by the accused had said according to jail rules undertrials are entitled to practise their religion. and for that they could get home food, so in this situation they should be allowed to have home food during Ramzan. Their lawyers also pointed out that the applicants and other accused facing terrorism charges were granted such permission in the past so there should not be any problem granting permission this year too. However, the judge did not accept their application.
In the meantime, Gulzar Azmi, heading the legal cell of Jamiat-e-Ulema Maharashtra, which is providing legal aid to some of those accused in this case, said, “We are waiting to get a copy of the court order and after that we will discuss with senior lawyers to approach the high court in this regard.” He said he respects the court order but many accused were getting this facility for decades till last year, so they were hopeful of getting permission this time as well.
There are 23 persons facing trial in connection with sending mails to media houses and government houses before the blasts in Surat, Delhi and Hyderabad. They have been charged with waging war against the country under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for being members of IM, for sending emails “containing malicious and vitriolic material primarily of waging war against India”, and under the Arms Act, Explosives Act and Information Technology Act. They are also charged under MCOCA.
Court won’t allow IM men homemade food for Ramzan | The Asian Age
The application was filed by all the 23 accused facing trial, including Afzal Usmani who escaped from the court premises and was re-arrested by the ATS, Mansoor Peerbhoy, alleged IN media wing head, Sadik Asrar Shaikh, who was discharged from the train blasts case, Asif Bashir Khan and others.
Designated MCOCA court judge A.L. Pansare rejected the application for food from home with the observation that if such facility was provided to these undertrials, then other accused of different faiths and religions would also ask for the same facilities for their festivals.
The judge said, “Jail authorities in their report have said that food will be provided to the accused by them.” The application by the accused had said according to jail rules undertrials are entitled to practise their religion. and for that they could get home food, so in this situation they should be allowed to have home food during Ramzan. Their lawyers also pointed out that the applicants and other accused facing terrorism charges were granted such permission in the past so there should not be any problem granting permission this year too. However, the judge did not accept their application.In the meantime, Gulzar Azmi, heading the legal cell of Jamiat-e-Ulema Maharashtra, which is providing legal aid to some of those accused in this case, said, “We are waiting to get a copy of the court order and after that we will discuss with senior lawyers to approach the high court in this regard.” He said he respects the court order but many accused were getting this facility for decades till last year, so they were hopeful of getting permission this time as well.
There are 23 persons facing trial in connection with sending mails to media houses and government houses before the blasts in Surat, Delhi and Hyderabad. They have been charged with waging war against the country under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for being members of IM, for sending emails “containing malicious and vitriolic material primarily of waging war against India”, and under the Arms Act, Explosives Act and Information Technology Act. They are also charged under MCOCA.
Court won’t allow IM men homemade food for Ramzan | The Asian Age
