Qateel Siddiqui Murdered in Jail, Rights Activists Voice Concern

Qateel Siddiqui, who was arrested by Delhi Police on Nov 22, 2011 in Delhi Blast Cases and was further remanded by Maharashtra ATS from Delhi Court to interrogate into the matter of Jarman Bakery Bomb Blast case about one and a half months ago, was murdered in Anda Cell of the Yarwada Central Jail in Pune, Maharashtra on Jun 8. Qateel’s cold-blooded murder has caused a lot of grave concern among civil and human rights activists, and has sent a shock wave across the country.

In a press statement, President All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan said on Jun 9: “The cold-blooded murder of Qateel Siddiqui... is yet another proof that the life of a Muslim is no longer safe in India even behind the walls of a high security jail.

“This cold-blooded murder comes in quick succession after a number of cases where security agencies’ high-handedness in dealing with Muslim youth on flimsy charges gives away the game of the administration’s war against the Muslim community in the name of fighting “terror”.

“Only days ago two Kashmiri young students were kidnapped by unknown security agencies at Aligarh and only one of them was later released after the educational institution filed a habeas corpus case in Allahabad High Court.

“It is now almost a month that Fasih Mahmood, an Indian Muslim engineer, suddenly disappeared in Saudi Arabia at the request of Indian authorities which are still not clear about the charges against him.

Earlier Journalist Kazmi was arrested on unknown charges and remains in custody while Hindutva terrorists are getting bail and feeling confident enough to hold a conference in Goa.

“The murdered accused, Qateel Siddiqui, was a law-abiding citizen of this country. Despite the passage of seven months on his arrest, the agencies have not been able to file a chargesheet against him, while he has been consistently tortured in custody to force him to sign a fake confession as it happens now in almost all such cases. His murder has been arranged at the hands of a criminal already incarcerated on murder charges. It seems the reason is to use Qateel’s fake confession in courts against other accused since he will no longer be there to deny and refute the forced confession attributed to him....

“We appeal to the national and international human rights organisations to take notice of the situation in India where sections of the administration are fighting a war against the country’s largest religious minority in the name of fighting “terror”, while the security agencies themselves are the biggest culprits and excel in fabrication of cases and use torture to force the accused to confess to crimes they never committed. The aim is to demoralise the Indian Muslim community and to slow down its educational and social progress.”

In a letter to the Union Home Minister, Syed Akhlak Ahmad, Secretary, Association for Protection of Civil Rights (Delhi Chapter), has sought has demanded filing of an F.I.R. under Section 302 against the jail inmates, jail officials and ATS personnel, and giving adequate compensation to the victim’s family.