New Delhi: A court here on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah, arrested on charges of money laundering. Meanwhile reports also said was abused in the judicial lockup room at Patialia House Court in New Delhi on Wednesday.
As the proceeding in the court started the Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma extended Shah’s judicial custody till August 31. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Shah on July 25 on charges of money laundering in a case dating back to 2005 where the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested hawala dealer Muhammad Aslam Wani.
Wani had reportedly confessed that he had passed on hawala money amounting to Rs 2.25 crore to Shah. The ED had registered a criminal case against them under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED arrested Wani, currently in judicial custody till August 31, on August 6.
In the 2005 case lodged by the Special Cell, the court acquitted co-accused Wani of the charges of criminal conspiracy and other offences but convicted him under the Arms Act.
Meanwhile reports said Shah was abused in the judicial lockup room at Patialia House Court in New Delhi.
Dr Bilques, the better-half of Shabir Ahmed Shah informed said Shah was brought to Patiala House Court for hearing from Tihar Jail. “He was kept in judicial lock-up with criminals who not only abused him but also tried to manhandle him. The criminals in the judicial lockup called him ‘Kashmiri terrorist’ and hurled choicest invectives,” she said.
Dr Bilques who is herself in New Delhi said that two teenaged prisoners informed her husband about the ‘sinister designs’ of the criminals who were planning to attack him physically. “Shah Sahab knocked at the lock-up door continuously attracting the attention of a police constable who informed his seniors and shifted Shah to a separate room,” she said.
“Even a police officer advised Shah Sahb to move an application in the court of law seeking separate room for himself. Advocate Shawer Ahmed Khan, the Counsel for Shabir Ahmed Shah has now moved an application in this regard,” she added.
Dr Bilques alleged that her husband has been lodged along with criminals in Tihar Jail. “There are clear directions from court that accused whose names begin with letter ‘S’ and ‘Y’ should be lodged in cell number one, but he has been intentionally kept in Jail number seven where most of the accused are involved in human trafficking and other criminal activities,” she said.
