By Gulzar Bhat
When Bashir Ahmad Baba showed up at his home in Rainawari in Srinagar last week, after spending 11 years in jail, his family and friends could barely recognise him. Although he’s just 44 years old, Baba has aged considerably since the time he was arrested in Gujarat by the police on terrorism charges, and was booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. His hair has greyed, while a deep furrow remains lodged in his forehead. The crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes deepen when he smiles.
On June 19, Baba was released by a Vadodara court after it held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges and furnish evidence against him. The trial court judge observed in the judgment that the charge against him of having received financial
aid in order to set up a terror network in Gujarat has neither been proven sufficiently, nor has there been any evidence presented to prove that he received such benefits or set up a terror module.
Bashir Ahmad Baba was accused of working with the Hizb-ulMujahideen and was charged under UAPA “The prosecution has clearly failed to prove the allegation against the accused. The prosecution has also failed to establish any evidence to prove that he was in touch with the wanted Hizb-ulMujahideen commanders,” said the judge.
This story first appeared on timesofindia.indiatimes.com