| After a series of accused in various cases being dischargedâsome on the plea of the policemen themselvesâthe latest to ask to be discharged is Mumbaiâs alleged Al Qaeda man Mohammad Afroze. Though Afroze was booked under the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (now the Prevention of Terrorism Act), these charges were later dropped. He is now on trial under the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy (Section 120 B), waging war against the nation (Section 121 A) and âcausing depredationâ in nations on friendly terms with India. After opening arguments started on May 5, Afroze appealed to Special Judge A P Bhangale to discharge him from all charges on May 7. His counsel Mubin Solkar argued that there was âno materialâ against the accused. Other than his confession, which was later retracted, there is no material evidence. Moreover, Afroze was said to have hatched a conspiracy with his uncle, Mubarak Mussalman, a British national. But as Mussalman is a free man till date, there is little to prove the claims made by the police. |