The Hindu : Jubilation and disappointment

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 30, 2003

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National

Jubilation and disappointment

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI OCT. 29. The jubilation among family members of the Delhi University professor, S.A.R. Geelani, and Afsan Guru, who have been acquitted in the December 13 Parliament attack case, turned into disappointment this evening when the Tihar Jail authorities refused to free them saying they had not received the Delhi High Court order.

Elated over Mr. Geelani's acquittal, his children, Atiq and Nusrat, went to the Tihar jail this evening along with their mother, Arifa Geelani, and other relatives to receive him. "The children were very excited when they came to know that their father would soon be released. Nusrat, who has to appear in an examination tomorrow, also joined us to receive him," said Mr. Geelani's brother, Bismillah, adding that he had faith that his brother would be freed as he had done no wrong.

Afsan Guru's parents also reached the jail to receive her.

Mr. Geelani's father-in-law, Mohammed Abdullah, said he was overjoyed by the High Court judgment. However, he expressed displeasure over the "deliberate" delay by the jail authorities in releasing Mr. Geelani. He accused the police of implicating his son-in-law in the case without evidence and said their counsel would soon approach the Supreme Court, urging stringent action against the police officers who framed him.

A pensive Ms. Geelani said she was eagerly awaiting the moment when her husband would be set free. "The children are very delighted. It took over two years for the authorities to realise that my husband was innocent. However, his acquittal orders prove that justice still prevails in this country," she said.

Mr. Bismillah said that the All-India Defence Committee, which had been set up to back Mr. Geelani, would launch a nationwide campaign against the misuse of POTA under which Mr. Geelani was arrested.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police Commissioner, Radhey Shyam Gupta, said he was yet to receive a copy of the judgment. "We would study the judgment and then decide on when to move the Supreme Court. The fact that two of the accused have been convicted vindicates our decision of booking them under POTA," he added.

Ram Jethmalani, who represented Mr. Geelani at the appeal stage, hailed the verdict saying it would send a message to Kashmir about the "integrity and competence" of the judiciary.

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