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New Delhi, Aug. 27: Shaukat Hussain Guru, who is serving a 10-year term for failing to inform police about the 2001 Parliament attack, today claimed he had proof of having sounded an officer.
Shaukat, in Tihar jail for over five years now, told the Supreme Court he had informed a police officer but was not taken seriously. He said he could produce the evidence, if given an opportunity, saying his conviction and subsequent incarceration was against the law.
Held guilty by the apex court, Shaukat was charged with concealing knowledge about the conspiracy.
His counsel Shanti Bhushan said the charge of concealing information was never pressed against Shaukat. Have we come to a stage that the Supreme Court can send anybody to jail without even pressing charges, leading evidence or without arguments? he asked.
The prosecution had not raised the charge even at the appeal stage, Bhushan said, adding that Shaukats review and curative petitions were dismissed without giving him an opportunity to defend himself.
This, he said, violated the principles of natural justice and Shaukats fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The two-judge bench asked the Delhi government to respond to the petition, which seeks Shaukats release.
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