Mujtaba Muneeb for BeyondHeadlines
Aurangabad: “Your son is helping the people who are involved in anti-national activities for that we are taking him under custody. But do not tell anyone about this, otherwise we will encounter your son or we will send him to Bangladesh or Pakistan”. These statements weren’t spoken by any gangster or any underworld person but by the Police officers of Delhi Police Special Cell to the father of Irfan in the ‘Room No. 633’ of ‘Hotel Novatel, Juhu beach, Mumbai’. As told by Mohammed Mustafa Landge, father of Irfan, in discussion with the Urdu daily Asia Express.
Adding to discussion Mustafa Landge told that on October 5, 2012, 11am, Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Irfan from Thane, Mumbai. And after taking him into custody told that they will release him within few hours after investigation. But neither up to 3 days released nor any news came. Then on October 8, 2012, Delhi police asked Irfan’s father, father-in-law and brother of his wife to come at Juhu beach, from where they were taken to the 6th Floor, Room no. 633 of Hotel Novatel.
There they were told not to inform anybody about this, otherwise it will create big trouble for them, which includes the encounter of his son. Irfan’s father told that Ruday Bhushan, Maneesh Chandra (ACP), Sanjeev Yadav (DCP) and Lalit Mohan Negi of Delhi Police Special Cell are handling the case. And all these officers were present in the hotel. After the 4 hours meeting they had been told to return and for further actions they will be informed by phone.
On the very next day a phone call came to Irfan’s father telling to come immediately by flight to Delhi with relatives present in Mumbai meeting where police will receive them at the airport. Following the orders, Irfan’s father reached Pune airport at 12 pm, but the flight was at 4:30 pm, so Mr. Mohammad Mustafa contacted his advocate for further actions, in which his advocate told not to go. After that he started for home but in the middle of the journey when he was at Ahmednagar, a phone call from Delhi police came telling him that “You are under our scanner and why are you returning”.
On Irfan’s father being asked by Asia Express that why he waited for 10 days after the arrest? He told Asia Express “I was in hope that they will release my son, but when recently 3 Muslims youths were arrested and presented before media by Delhi Police Special Cell, I get doubted. Therefore I felt that if they will really encounter my son and will make some wrong allegations on him or will frame a case of terrorism against my son then what will I do, so I approached Asia Express and faxed a letter to Chief Minister, Home Minister, DIG and other officers about this.”
After all these, when Irfan’s father made a contact to Mr. Ruday Bhushan asking about the allegations made against his son he replied that regarding this issue we cannot tell anything to media and if you want any information you should contact DCP Sanjeev Yadav. But regarding this issue no discussion took place with Sanjeev Yadav.
A retired telecom officer by profession Mr. Mustafa Landge, who is basically native of Ahmednagar presently staying in Aurangabad, expressed that I have trained my children on the right principles and I am confident that my son is not involved in these activities. He further told that I have the belief in Indian Judicial system but the need is that he should be taken to court.
(Author is associated with Asia Express Urdu Daily.)
