The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Jana denies arrest of innocents

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Jana denies arrest of innocents

Home Minister clarifies on bomb blast cases in Council

HYDERABAD: Home Minister K. Jana Reddy has denied that innocents were arrested and members of a particular community targeted during investigations into the city bomb blasts. He urged legislators not to entertain any doubts in this regard.

Replying to supplementaries in the Legislative Council on Friday by Jalli Wilson (CPI), he said 72 suspects were taken into custody in connection with the Mecca Masjid blast. Barring seven persons, the rest were released.

In case of twin blasts at Lumbini Park and Gokul Chaat, 58 suspects were taken into custody. Cases were booked against 19. Of the total 26 arrested, 13 were released.

He said the advocate-commissioner appointed by the AP Minorities Commission to investigate the alleged harassment of Muslim youth by police had submitted an interim report. It stated that some of the youth alleged that they were harassed and illegally arrested. An officer of the rank of additional commissioner of police had been ordered to inquire into the allegations.

He said no police officials were named in the report submitted by the State Minorities Commission, as being responsible for alleged unlawful arrests and torture. The National Commission for Minorities was also inquiring into the matter and action would be taken after receipt of both the reports.

Replying to a question by Dadi Veerabhadra Rao (TDP), Mr. Jana Reddy admitted that the cases of murders, attacks and harassment of girl students had increased. While 13 murder cases were registered since 2004, all the three cases of 2004 ended in conviction. The cases booked during 2005, 2006 and 2007 were pending trial.

Ayesha murder case

He said there was no delay in the investigation into the Ayesha Meera murder case, which has been taken up as a “challenge”. Following allegations, the grandson of Municipal Administration Minister Koneru Ranga Rao was also interrogated and subjected to lie-detector, DNA and hand-writing analysis tests.

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