At Saleemnagar in Hyderabad, there is a sense of relief following the confession of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh member Swami Aseemanand alias Jatin Chatterjee.
Aseemanand, who confessed to being in the know of the Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta, Ajmer and Malegaon blasts, also stated prior to his confession that it was a boy named Abdul Kaleem, who inspired him to make this confession before the magistrate
The family of Kaleem, who is now under arrest for allegedly providing a cell phone to his brother Khaja (an alleged Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative) in jail, say that they are proud of the fact that it was their son who prompted this confession in the first place.
It was Kaleem's good conduct and the manner in which he helped me that prompted me to make this statement and come out with the truth about these blasts, Aseemanand told investigators.
The Kaleem story to this entire confession is interesting. Kaleem, a resident of Saleemnagar in Hyderabad, was one of the first persons to be picked up in connection with the Mecca Masjid blasts when the police had concluded that it was a Harkat-ul-Jihadi operation.
Following the arrest they conducted a narco analysis test on Kaleem and later the police issued a statement that during the test he had confessed to being the mastermind in the blasts.
A law student from the Mahatma Gandhi Law College, Kaleem languished in jail for nearly two years before being released as none of the charges against him had been proven.
Just when he thought that his trauma had ended, his brother Khaja was arrested on suspicion of being a Lashkar operative and that he was very closely linked to HuJI operative Shahid Bilal.
Bilal was later killed in Pakistan following the twin blasts that rocked Hyderabad. The twin blasts at Hyderabad at the Lumbini Park and the Gokul Chat were apparently carried out by Bilal and company to avenge the bombing and subsequent police firing at the Mecca Masjid.
After Khaja was arrested, Kaleem went to meet him in jail. However, he had another shock waiting for him. The police immediately arrested him. His alleged offence -- providing a cell phone to his elder brother.
Kaleem was lodged in the Chanchalguda jail and it was during this time that he came in contact with Swami Aseemanand, who had been brought down by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the Mecca Masjid blasts.
At jail, the two got talking and Aseemanand was impressed with Kaleem's conduct. Kaleem told the latter how he had been tortured and falsely implicated in the Mecca Masjid blasts. He also took great care of Aseemanand and even brought him water and food every time he needed it.
This moved Aseemanand a great deal and he thought that it was time to come out with the truth and bare his heart out. Aseemanand goes on to mention this in his confession before the magistrate as well.
Kaleem's family too is touched and they say that they hope that such atrocities against the youth from the minority community would stop. They also go on to say that their children, who have been falsely framed, should be released.
