“Dr. Syed Ismail Afaq has been Framed by Police”: Advocate Sultan Beary

Bengaluru: Mohammed Sultan Beary, defence counsel for the prime accused Dr. Syed Ismail Afaq in the alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) ‘terror’ module case on Saturday disputed claims made by the city police about his client.

Beary released the FIR and remand applications filed by the police, picking holes and contradictions in their statements.

While the police say they arrested Bhatkal resident Dr. Afaq and his cousin Abdus Saboor from a flat at Cox Town, Beary claimed they were arrested while heading to an acupressure camp in Jayanagar.

He said, “If the police were so confident of the case, what is the need to make false claims of the place and time of arrest?” He further objected to the police remand application mentioning that his wife is a Pakistani national and this being used as a cover to visit Pakistan.

“Bhatkal town is being branded like a surrogate for Pakistan by the police. My client’s wife is unnecessarily being dragged into the case,” he said. Beary added that the explosives allegedly recovered from a house in Bhatkal were the only piece of material evidence in the hands of the police.

“It is evident that the police are trying to foist a false case on my client. They have not followed the protocol in the arrest. The Karnataka State Human Rights Commission and the National Human Rights Commission should look into the matter,” he added.

The advocate alleged that Dr. Afaq is married to a Pakistani national, which is being exploited in an attempt to label him as a terror suspect.

“Just because he visited his Pakistan-based in-laws often, it does not make Afaq a terror suspect. His wife recently gave birth to their baby in India. In fact, his wife’s sister is also married to a person from Bhatkal. The police are trying to portray Bhatkal as a mini-Pakistan,” he added.

He objected to the way police carried out the seizure. He said neighbours and organisations that were ready to co-operate with the police and stand witness for mahazar were turned away and government officials were used, raising doubts on its veracity, he claimed.