The former president of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), accused of absconding from the police, has been an accessible and visible practitioner of Unani medicine in Azamgarh.
Shahid Badr Falahi told THE WEEK, “For the last 14 years I have run my clinic. From the High Court to the Supreme Court, I have represented the SIMI on every date. My address is publicly available in court records. How could the police have never known?”
The SIMI was banned in 2001 and Falahi arrested soon after. He was jailed for three years during which he made appearances in various courts (including Gorakhpur and Bahraich) where cases were listed against SIMI. As the ban on the organisation was constantly renewed, he appeared on its behalf arguing against the prohibition which alleged the organisation’s role in ‘anti-national activities’. In February this year the ban was extended for a further five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The organisation has also been linked to the Indian Mujahideen.
“On Thursday evening, five policemen landed at my home. I asked if I could change my clothes before leaving with them, but they refused,” Falahi said.
This arrest was for a case registered in Bhuj (Gujarat) in the aftermath of the earthquake in 2001. According to Falahi, he had been invited to speak at a gathering in Bhuj. Though he denies remembering the exact contents of the speech, he says that it revolved around being good humans and helping others in times of need. “According to the police, the local organisers had not taken due permissions for the gathering. Cases were registered against the speakers including me but I did not receive a single summon in all these years,” he said.
As per the Gujarat police, the cases lodged against Falahi were under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duties).
On being quizzed about why Falahi’s visible presence had remained unnoticed by the police, Triveni Singh, the SP of Azamgarh said that the district police had never received any communication from the Gujarat police. “If we did not know there was a case, how could we have helped,” he said. “As soon as they contacted us, we gave all possible assistance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Falahi has been granted conditional bail though the Gujarat police had sought transit remand of him.
A revision plea will be filed by the Gujarat police in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate later on Saturday asking for the same.
