Police failed to build case against Moulana Masood

Police failed to build case against Moulana Masood
ARUN SHARMA

JAMMU, DECEMBER 31: The hype created about the top Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA) leader Moulana Azhar Masood not withstanding, the police had not found any substantial case against him ever since his arrest in Kashmir Valley six years ago.

Significantly, while the police was yet to present challan against him under the Passport Act, the case under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act was dismissed by the designated court some months ago. He was, at present, booked only for an unsuccessful jail break attempt at Jammu.

Masood was, finally, released from the high security Kot Bhalwal prison here in exchange of 155 passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane at Kandahar. The released reportedly followed instructions from the Central Government, with Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief coming here in a special aircraft to take the dreaded terrorists' leader to Delhi.

Though Masood alias Vali Adam Issa, the first secretary general of HuA was an invaluable catch, the State Police dilly-dalliedon him right from the beginning. They did not make any sincere effort to get the dreaded militant leader punished for the offences committed by him.

Giving details, sources said that Masood was arrested by the security forces in Kashmir Valley during February 1994. The authorities had then claimed that he had entered India from Dhaka (Bangladesh) on the basis of a fake Portguese passport to step up terrorist activities.

However, he was booked under TADA last year, but the police did not present challan against him in the designated court. The special judge for TADA cases at Jammu wrote to the authorities to present challan, if they have something against Masood.

However, the authorities did not respond, making the judge to dismiss the case against him. What to speak of TADA, the police did not present challan against the HuA leader even under the Passport Act so as to try him in the court for having entered India on a fake passport.

It was only when some terrorist dug a tunnel to make good theirescape from the high security Kot Bhalwal prison this year that the police booked him for the unsuccessful jail break attempt. A dreaded terrorist Sajjad Afghani was killed by police during the jail break attempt.

Masood, who was instrumental in sending regular batches of Kashmiri youth to Pakistan and Afghanistan for arms training, had played a key role in the setting up of Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA) after the merger of Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen (HUM) and Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islamia (HUJI) during June 1993. During his visit to Kashmir Valley, he held meetings with various terrorist outfits to ensure the revival of dying militancy in 1994.

Moreover, Masood had also been instrumental in raising funds worth crores of rupees from various Gulf countries to carry out insurgency in India.

Significantly, Masood got released from the jail, following fourth attempt by his supporters for the purpose.