National Media Slams Kerala Cops

The case relates to the arrest of five SIMI men who were holding a meeting at Binanipuram near Aluva in Ernakulam district on August 15, 2006. Although a total of 18 SIMI men were rounded up from the venue, the police mysteriously registered a case against only five and let off the rest. The FIR registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act named five accused — Shaduli, Ansar Moulavi, Nizamuddin, Abdul Rafeeq and Shamas.

Almost two years into their arrest, cops are yet to even file a chargesheet in the case. Not unusual for the police, except for the fact that two of them — Ansar Moulvi and Sahduli — are now in the custody of the Rajasthan police in connection with the Jaipur blasts.

Ansar Moulavi and Shaduli also attended a secret training camp held by the outfit at Vagamon in Kerala’s Idukki district in December 2007, a year after they were arrested by the Binanipuram police and released on bail. A third one is reportedly detained in Bangalore after last week’s serial blasts in the IT city. Nizamuddin fled India and is now said to be operating from Saudi Arabia, while the whereabouts of the fifth person isn’t known.

The extent of bungling dawned on the police only after the May 13 Jaipur arrests. But by then, it was too late. Now, demands have grown in the administration for a probe into the role of two senior cops who are said to have “sabotaged” the investigation.

There was no attempt to pursue the matter or collect evidence and cops didn’t even think of going in for scientific tests like narco analysis. But then it isn’t just the cops. An MLA belonging to the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala is said to have called on the SIMI men in jail a few days after their arrest.