Bengaluru 2008 blasts: Why the case against Madani is failing?

Bengaluru, Sept 16: The case against Abdul Nasar Madani an accused in the 2008, Bengaluru serial blasts has suffered yet another set back.

After one prime witness had retracted his statement, it was the turn of another to do the same and in both cases they have alleged that the police had forced them to make statements.

The first person to retract his statement before the court was Jose and now it was the turn of Rafeeq. Both these persons had initially claimed before the Bengaluru police that they had seen Madani plan the attack. However when it came to deposing before the court, they retracted their statements.

Setback for investigators:
Jose was the owner of the house in Kottayam, Kerala where it was alleged that the conspiracy meeting had taken place. It was said by the police at first that the prime accused in the case, T Nasir and Madani had met in this house at Kottayam and planned the blasts.

During the first deposition before the 49th city civil court which is hearing the case, he had confirmed that he had met Madani.

However when the defence produced documents to suggest that Madani was not present at Kottayam on the said day, Jose was cross-questioned. However he turned hostile while blaming the police of forcibly asking him to make the original statement.

The next person to turn hostile is Rafeeq who is a daily wage labour working at Somwarpet, Kodagu. He had initially said that Madani had visited Somwarpet and held a meeting in connection with the case. He also said that Madani had come with several others to Somwarpet and discussed the Bengaluru 2008 blasts.

When he had to depose before the court, he turned hostile. He told the court that he was threatened by the Bengaluru police to give a statement against Madani.

He in fact took everyone by surprise when he said he had seen Madani for the first time in court, thus giving a statement which runs completely contrary to what has been mentioned in the chargesheet. I was forced to sign documents which were in English and I cannot read that language, he also said.

OneIndia News