Hyderabad:
A student from Hyderabad, accused by the police of being a point-person in the city for two alleged SIMI activists from Maharashtra, emerged before the media today, alleging that the police version of him abetting terror and absconding was a lie.
''I am going to college and signing every month in court records for previous cases filed against me. So, how can they say I am absconding?'' asked 24-year-old M Tech student Mohtasim Billa.
The police said Mohtasim motivated two alleged Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI activists, who were arrested on Wednesday, to go to Afghanistan for training from Al Qaeda in order to wage Jihad in India to establish Islamic State. Mohtasim was reportedly even willing to extend financial support for Visa processing for the two men, who he allegedly met on Facebook, the police claimed.
However, Mohtasim told NDTV that he had never met the two alleged SIMI activists nor had he chatted with them over the internet.
"The police says I offered to finance them, whereas I don't even have money to pay my college fee," he said.
Mohtasim's father Moulana Islahi, a well-known Islamic scholar, said the police is targeting his son repeatedly ever since Mohtasim's brother Mujahid was shot dead by Gujarat IPS officer Narender Amin near the Andhra Pradesh DGP's office in Hyderabad in 2004.
"From that time onwards, when Mohtasim was not even 16, police has filed several cases. But he was acquitted in all cases. Only two cases are left. The judgment in one of them is coming this month-end. It appears they want to keep up the pressure," said Mr Islahi.
According to the police, Mohtasim had asked Mudassir and Shoeb - alleged SIMI activists - to come to Hyderabad after October 10. The two were arrested from Secunderabad on Wednesday. Police also claimed to have seized literature on explosives formula, a 16 GB pen drive containing literature in terror activities among other things from them.
A case is registered with Gopalapuram police station under relevant sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IT Act. "Both these persons are adept in using social networks in propagating Jihad and both of them are having several Facebook accounts," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) R Jaya Lakshmi said on Wednesday.
During Facebook chats they came in contact with Abu Saif and Kamaran Sha, both of Pakistan, Zahid Al Hindi, a native of Afghanistan, and Mir Showkath, Sameer Khan and Mohtasim Billa, all residents of Saidabad area in Hyderabad, the DCP said.