Cops threatened to torture female members of my family: Areeb Majeed

In four different applications filed before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court on July 30, Areeb Majeed, an alleged ISIS foot soldier, had accused NIA officers of mental and physical torture. Majeed was arrested last November by the NIA after he returned to India after an alleged stint with the terror outfit in Syria. These are excerpts from his applications:

‘Did it for my family'

"I was handcuffed and kept blindfolded all the time. I was humiliated and tortured in police custody. Besides, I was subjected to continuous exhaustive interrogation sessions. The documents that have my signatures on them were taken under threats and torture.

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Areeb Majeed outside Arthur Road jail. File pic

The NIA, as well as all the other agencies, told me since the first day - November 28, 2014 - that they were going to frame me in this case and that I had made a big mistake by coming back and believing that I wouldn't be arrested. They said ‘You will rot in jail for the rest of your life'. They threatened to torture female members of my family and plant bags full of counterfeit notes in my house to falsely implicate me if I refused to cooperate."

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"The threats to my family were the only reason I signed the documents without reading them, as well as blank papers. My allegations will be proven if this court orders CCTV footage, as it would show that on December 16, 2014, a huge bundle of documents was brought in for my signature. Footage will also show the inhuman behaviour of constant handcuffing and keeping me blindfolded all the time."

‘It wasn't me'
"In its final report, the NIA claims I voluntarily opened various social media accounts using a Samsung phone during my police custody. Their lies can be proven, if this court orders for the CCTV footage. A hacker can be seen entering the investigation room and opening these accounts on my behalf. I request this court to send the phone in question for fingerprint analysis, which will prove that it wasn't me, but the hacker appointed by NIA known to me as Parth."

‘I was tortured'
"The NIA claims to have arrested me on November 29, 2014, while the truth is that I was arrested from a Turkish Airlines flight (TK-720) soon after it landed at the international airport at 5:15 am on November 28, 2014. As soon as the aircraft had landed, the air hostess announced my name. The moment I stepped out, officers from NIA and various other security agencies arrested me."

"A lone immigration officer was present with the NIA officers, who carried out my immigration. No other immigration was done, besides mine, at that counter where the NIA and other officers were already present. Later, I was taken to a room, where they started interrogating me around 6:15 am or 6:30 am. I was then taken out of the airport and lead into a car. The person occupying the seat the next to the driver had a gun aimed at me."

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"After a drive for about half-an-hour, they brought me to a farmhouse, where officers from various agencies threatened, humiliated and abused my faith and me. I was then taken to the ATS office at Kalachowkie police station. I was handcuffed and my feet were chained. They made me sign the FIR and some other documents. When I asked what was happening and where were they taking me, a person named A K Dubey asked me to quietly follow his instruction, as it was in my best interest. After Kalachowkie, the NIA team took me to the Bhoiwada lockup. They produced me in the court on November 29 around 11 am."

I'm not spreading Jihad
"In its chargesheet, the NIA claimed it had been tipped-off by the airport authorities following which they arrested me. This is an absurd lie because the NIA already knew about my return. In fact, they arranged for it. They appointed a person in Turkey, Sandeep Zutshi, from the Indian consulate, who arranged my travel papers, my ticket and my stay in Istanbul at Point Hotel on the night of November 26, 2014, as well as seeking permission from Turkish airport authorities to allow me to return to India. My father and I provided the address and contact details of Zutshi. The NIA officers and my father were constantly in touch with him. The NIA is now denying the fact that it was they who arranged my return. They are falsely implicating me by claiming that I've illegally entered India to spread Jihad."