UP govt accepts report on terror-accused Muslim youths

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday accepted the Nimesh Commission report which probed the arrest of two Muslim youths in 2007 on terror charges.

"The report was accepted by the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday," Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav told newspersons after the meeting.

The government will present the report in the coming UP legislative session along with the action taken report, the Chief minister, who presided over the Cabinet meeting, said.

RD Nimesh Commission was set up by the previous BSP government in the state to investigate the arrests of two Muslim youths -- Tariq Qasmi and Khalid Mujahid -- after serial blasts in courts in Lucknow, Faizabad, Varanasi and Gorakhpur in November 2007.

Qasmi and Mujahid were arrested by the Special Task force of the UP police in Barabanki allegedly along with some explosives.

Police claimed that the two were operatives of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami and responsible for the serial blasts.

Following hue and cry by social activists, the then Mayawati government constituted the Commission to probe into the allegations that the two Muslims youths were falsely implicated.

The commission, in its report submitted to the state government in August last year, is said to have found discrepancies in the police theory.

The Samajwadi Party had promised in its manifesto for 2012 assembly elections that if voted to power it will withdraw cases against Muslims booked under false charges.

The government moved an application in April this year to withdraw cases but it was rejected by the court.

On May 18, Mujahid died while he was being brought back to Lucknow jail from the Faizabad court, where he was taken for a hearing.

Though, police claimed that he died because of illness, his family alleged that he was killed as his release would have put some senior police officer in trouble.

Mujahid's family had also lodged case against 42 police officers, including former director general of police, for implicating Mujahid in false charges and held them responsible for his death.

The state government has already referred the matter for the CBI probe.

The government had also announced a compensation of Rs 6 lakh for Mujahid's family but the latter refused to take it demanding justice for the innocent Muslims.