KOCHI: For Mohammed Asif, a medical graduate, the acquittal in the Wagamon SIMI camp case has been a vindication of the stand he had adopted throughout since being chargesheeted in the case.Asif, hailing from Raichur, will now walk free after languishing as an undertrial in Karnataka and Kerala prisons for nine years. Asif was arrested while doing house surgeoncy as part of MBBS course in Karnataka in 2009. He was the 13th accused in the camp case.
Asif spoke to Express through his advocate V T Raghunath. “I want to complete house surgeoncy and start practising medicine,” he said.Asked whether he will move legally over his lost nine years, he said: “I have no such plans. I will complete house surgeoncy first.”
Asif was accused in three cases of similar nature registered in Belgaum, Hubli and Wagamon. “He has been acquitted in all these cases. Unfortunately, he had spent prime of his youth behind the bars. He was very good in studies and also took some educational courses while in jails. He comes from a family of engineers and doctors,” Raghunath said.
Raghunath alleged Asif was charged with false case by the police in Karnataka.
“He was arrested by the police in connection with a bike theft case. However after two days, it was found that the bike was registered in Asif’s name itself. Later, they included his name in the SIMI armed camp case. He has been acquitted in all the cases since there was no evidence against him,” Raghunath said.
After acquitted, Asif was taken to Viyyur Central Jail, from where he will be released after completing the documentation procedures. “We expect he will be released on Monday evening or on Tuesday morning,” an NIA officer said.