A day after the Bangalore police filed charge-sheet against Mehdi Masroor Biswas, a Kolkata-based engineer for having alleged links with Islamic State (IS), his family members in Bangalore said that they do not have access to proper legal help to counter the charges which include the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
“Yesterday when the charge-sheet was filed in court, my brother did not have a lawyer to represent him. I went up to police officer and asked for a copy of the charge-sheet on which he said that that it will given after a few says,” Biswas’ younger sister told The Hindu on Tuesday.
Mehdi Masroor Biswas, who was working for a multi-national company, was arrested in December 2014 in Bangalore and has been behind bars since then.
The younger sister of Biswas, who has met his brother on numerous occasions, said that her brother has a lot of things to say but he is unable as he lacks sound legal advice. “Every time I meet him he asks me to arrange for a good lawyer. Neither do we have resources to hire a good lawyer,” she said.
The family claims that there are a few lawyers who volunteered to take up the case saying they would not accept fees, but did not turn up during the crucial court hearing.
The 24-year-old electrical engineer has been charged with unlawful activities, conspiracy, supporting terrorist organisation, waging war, sedition and promoting enmity. He has repeatedly told his family members that “being a Maoist and supporting Maoist ideology do not amount to same.”
“My brother keeps on saying that he only re-tweeted the videos and photographs associated with Islamic state and did not create them,” his sister said.
The family which has been making frequent trips between Kolkata and Bangalore said that they are at a loss and do not know what to do when the only earning member of the family is behind bars for the past six months.
The youngest of the three children, including two elder sisters, Biswas was educated from Indira Gandhi Memorial School near the Kaikhali residence in the outskirts of Kolkata. According to the family, the health of his father Mikhail Biswas, a retired engineer from the State-run power utility, has been declining with every time his son is sent into police or judicial custody.
According to the officers investigating the case, though the police could not find any one person whom Mehdi was in touch with, but they have ample proof that he had contacts with many fighters in Syria.
“There are a few lawyers who volunteered to take up the case but did not turn up during the crucial court hearing”
