14 January,2017 09:40 AM IST | | Sailee Dhayalkar
Abdul Wahid Shaikh, the only person to be acquitted in the July 2005 train bombings, writes to the Commissioner of Police on how cops continue to harass and torture him
Nearly 189 lives were lost and over 800 people were injured in the series of bombings. File pic
After spending nine years in jail, Abdul Wahid Shaikh was acquitted of all the charges against him in relation to the series of bombings on Mumbai's local trains, in September 2015. But, even a year after he walked out of jail, he claims that the cops continue to harass and torture him. Shaikh on Friday wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Police saying that police officers still visit his home for questioning.
In the two-page hand-written letter, which has been forwarded to the Bombay High Court, State Human Rights Commission and senior police inspector of Parksite police station, Shaikh has mentioned, "Kindly stop police torture."
In the letter he has also said, "The ATS Mumbai falsely arrested me in a terror case and jailed me for nine years. Fortunately, the court declared me innocent and acquitted me of all the charges fabricated by police. But even today, the cops think that the court's verdict was meaningless. They continue to harass and torture me."
He further mentioned in the letter, "On January 12, at around 3 pm, an officer named Satish Patil connected with the ATC, called me up and asked me to visit the Crime Branch office." Shaikh has also been asked to disclose facts about criminal cases against him if any.
In the letter he has requested the authorities concerned to pass an appropriate order and stop further torture by police.
Speaking to mid-day, Shaikh said, "When cops visit my house, the kids get scared. They think that I will be taken back to jail. They even approach the neighbours for my address, which creates a lot of tension."
Even after repeated attempts to contact Ashok Dudhe, PRO of Mumbai Police, he could not be reached for comments on the issue.
