Abdul Nazer Mahdani

Last updated

Abdunnasir Ma'dani
Abdu Nasser Mahdany.jpg
Personal details
Born (1966-01-18) 18 January 1966 (age 59)
Sasthamkotta, Kollam, Kerala, India
Political party Peoples Democratic Party
SpouseSoofiya Ma'dani
Children3
Alma mater Jami'a Nooriyya Arabic College
Occupation

Abdul Nasar Ma'dani (born 18 January 1966), [1] also spelled Abdunnasir Ma'dani, [2] is an Indian politician and Islamic cleric. He is the leader of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Kerala. [3]

Contents

Mahdani was accused of involvement in 1998 Coimbatore bombings, but was acquitted of all charges after spending 9+1⁄2 years in Coimbatore Central Prison. [4] [5] He is currently under judicial custody at Karnataka in relation to the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts. [6]

Personal life

Ma'dani was born in Anvarserry, Mynagappally, Kollam district to Abdul Samad and Asma Beevi on 18 January 1966. [7] [8] He is married to Soofiya Ma'dani and has three children; a daughter named Shameera Jauhara and two sons named Umar Mukhthar and Salaludin Ayoobi. Shameera is married to Nizam, a native of Karunagappalli. Umar Mukhthar is married to Nihammat, a native of Thalassery. [9]

Ma'dani's wife, Soofiya, was the tenth accused in 2005 Kalamassery bus burning case. [10]

Ma'dani lost his right leg on 6 August 1992, following a bombing attack near Anwarserry, and has used a prosthetic leg since then. [11] [12] [13] [14]

Political activism and allies

At a young age, Mahdani began delivering sermons at a local mosque in the Kollam district. His oratory skills were well received, and he soon built up a following. [15] He subsequently formed the Islamic Seva Sangh (ISS) in 1989. This organization was banned following the Demolition of the Babri Masjid. In 1992, he launched a new outfit named Peoples Democratic Party (India), calling for Muslim-Dalit movement. [16]

Though Mahdani was jailed in 1998, his outfit backed the United Democratic Front in the 2001 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, and the Left Democratic Front in the 2006 Kerala Legislative Assembly election. [17] He and his political outfit were in alliance with Communist Party of India (Marxist) for the 2009 Indian general election. [18] Mahdani is still the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Chengara Solidarity March

Mahdani delivered a speech at the Chengara Adivasi Protest in support of the struggle in May 2008. He declared the objective of Muslim-Dalit-Adivasi Unity under the banner of "Power to Avarnas and Liberation to The Oppressed [19] [20]

Incarceration and release

1998 Arrests and release

Ma'dani was arrested by the Kerala Police under the leadership of Jacob Thomas IPS on March 31, 1998 in Kaloor, in connection with 1998 Coimbatore bombings. He was initially shifted to Kozhikode and then to Tamil Nadu. [21] He was released on August 1, 2007 after acquittal in this case. [22]

Free Ma'dani Campaigns

In March 16, 2006, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution seeking the release of Ma'dani on humanitarian grounds from Coimbatore Central Prison in connection with 1998 blasts. [23]

The Peoples Democratic Party and politicians like K. T. Jaleel also petitioned for the release of Ma'dani. [24]

With the aim of providing legal and financial aid to Ma'dani, the Justice For Ma'dani Forum was constituted under the aegis of various Muslim organisations on 25 August 2010. [25] The Justice for Ma'dani Forum demanded that the Bangalore blast case, in which Ma'dani was listed among the accused, should be probed by any agency outside the state of Karnataka, preferably by the National Investigation Agency. [26]

There is a section of society who claims that Ma'dani was unlawfully kept in undertrial for too long and was framed. [27]

2010 arrest

Ma'dani was arrested by a joint team of Karnataka Police and Kerala Police from his residence in the Kollam district on August 17, 2010. [28] He was lodged in Central Prison, Bangalore after the arrests.

Bails after 2010 arrest

Mahdani while being arrested for Bangalore blast case While arresting Ma'dani in the Bangalore case.jpg
Mahdani while being arrested for Bangalore blast case

In March 2013, Mahdani was granted a 5-day interim bail to attend his daughter's wedding and to visit his ailing father. [29] During this time, he made controversial remarks during a speech at his daughter's wedding. [30] On 21 October 2013, the Supreme Court of India directed the Karnataka Government to immediately shift Mahdani to a private hospital for treatment. The court also allowed his wife to come with him as a bystander during his hospital stay. [31] In November 2014, the Government of Karnataka submitted that the enquiries for trial will be completed in six months. [32]

On 24 July 2017, his bail application for attending his son's marriage on 9 August was initially rejected by NIA court. In response to this, the PDP called for statewide Hartal in Kerala on 26 July 2017. [33] Later, the Supreme Court of India granted him 7 day bail from Aug 7 - August 14 to attend his son's wedding in Thalassery. [9]

In October 2018, he was granted bail to visit his ailing mother. [8] In 2021, the Supreme Court rejected his plea for further relaxations in 2014 bail conditions. [34]

Controversies

Islamic Seva Sangh

Mahdani had set up the Islamic Seva Sangh in 1989. It was banned in 1992 for alleged subversive acts, along with SIMI and Jamaat-e-Islami, following the Babri Masjid demolition. [15] [35] [36]

Hate Speeches

There were numerous cases charged against him by the Kerala Police for making inflammatory speeches and issuing vitriolic communal statements after the Babri Masjid demolition. There are nearly 24 cases charged against Mahdani in Kerala. [37]

Alleged involvement in Coimbatore blast case

Ma'dani after his release from Coimbatore jail Coimbathoormadhani.jpg
Ma'dani after his release from Coimbatore jail

Mahdani was allegedly involved in the 1998 Coimbatore bombings, which killed 58 people. He was imprisoned for nine years in this case in Tamil Nadu. Later, Mahdani was acquitted of all charges in this case. [38]

Alleged involvement in Bangalore Blasts

Connections with Thadiyantavide Nazeer

Investigators allege that suspected South India commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Thadiyantavide Nazeer, came into militancy through ISS founded by Mahdani. [39] [40] Nazeer is suspected to have established links with LeT [40] [41] and was picked up by Bangladeshi authorities and handed over to BSF on the Meghalaya border. [40] [42] In connection with the Bangalore blast case, police have presented phone records to the court proving that Ma'dani contacted the main accused several times both before and after the blast. Phone calls were made from a number registered in Ma'dani's wife's name. [43] [44]

According to police, after orchestrating the blasts, Nazeer went into hiding at Ma'dani's office in Anvarssery. [45] However, Ma'dani's advocate, B. V. Acharya, has contended that it is "only a make believe theory to implicate Ma'dani". [46] Nazeer also confessed that he coordinated the 2005 Kalamassery bus burning case for the release of Ma'dani from Coimbatore jail.

High Court and Supreme court observations in Bangalore blast case

Ma'dani is lodged in Karnataka jail and is in judicial custody for his involvement in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts, which killed one person and injured 20 more, and for similar incidents in Ahmedabad, Surat, and Jaipur. [47] As per former Karnataka State Home Minister V. S. Acharya, Mahdani also allegedly admitted a role in the 2010 Bangalore stadium bombing on 17 April 2010, [48] which he had denied earlier. [49] [50] This assertion regarding a confession was rejected by Mahdani's counsel, who said that the allegation was baseless, devoid of facts, and politically motivated. [51] After a court issued a fresh, non-bailable warrant, [52] Mahdani claimed that he proffered to surrender, so as to avoid 'unpleasant situations' when he was arrested. [53]

On 11 February 2011, the Karnataka High Court rejected Mahdani's plea, stating that there is no direct evidence of conspiracies against Ma'dani. [54] At the final hearing, Justice Markandey Katju stated that "he was wondering as to how a person on a wheel chair could pose a threat if released on bail." [55] The Supreme Court bench was divided on the matter of granting bail to Mahdani and posted the matter to Chief Justice of India to form a new bench to decide on the plea. [56] However, in 2013-14 court relaxed bail conditions, and Ma'dani was granted bail on personal grounds by courts multiple times between 2013 and 2018. In 2020, Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde called Ma'Dani a dangerous man during a plea for further relaxation in bail conditions. [32]

Murder attempt case

Madhani has been named the first accused in a case registered in 2013 relating to the alleged attempt in 1998 to murder RSS ideologue P. Parameswaran and Father K. K. Alavi, a convert into Christianity from Islam. [57] The case relates to Ma'dani offering money for the murder of both individuals. Ma'dani dismissed the charges and said he was not involved in it and the alleged political conspiracy against him. [57] In September 2015, Crime Branch submitted to the court that Parameswaran and Alavi stated that they had never faced any attempt on their life as alleged in the complaint and that no evidence could be obtained to substantiate this allegation against Mahdani. [58] [59]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Court nod for Ma'dani to visit ailing mum in Kerala". Gulf-Times (in Arabic). 15 May 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. ↑ TwoCircles.net (9 July 2010). "No anticipatory bail for Abdunnasir Ma'dani". TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "Abdul Nasser Madani involved in more blast cases: Karnataka Police". The Times of India. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  4. ↑ "Maudhany freed, Basha found guilty in Coimbatore blasts case". The Hindu . 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 2 August 2007.
  5. ↑ "Madani's custody in Bangalore takes political colour". Indian Express. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  6. ↑ Madani pretending to be ill, SC told - Rediff.com India News
  7. ↑ "Abdul Nasser Madani visits his father". The Indian Express. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Madani's mother Asma Beevi passes away". Mathrubhumi. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Madani arrives at Thalassery for son's wedding amid tight security". Mathrubhumi. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  10. ↑ Emmanuel, Gladwin (15 December 2009). "Soofiya Madani's anticipatory bail plea adjourned by HC". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "Five acquitted in Madhani murder attempt case". The New Indian Express. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  12. ↑ "HC directs RSS leader to surrender in Madani attack case". One India. 11 September 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  13. ↑ Madani slams CBI, Karnataka cops. deccanchronicle.com. 13 June 2010
  14. ↑ HC directs RSS leader to surrender in Madani attack case Archived 26 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine . News.oneindia.in (11 September 2006). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  15. 1 2 Special: Are Kerala's Muslims enamoured with Abdul Nasser Madani?. Rediff.com. Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  16. ↑ "The Hindu : Kerala / Kollam News : Four PDP members expelled from party". 7 September 2011. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "Kerala polls: UDF, LDF woo rabble-rousing Abdul Nasser Madani". India Today. 17 April 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  18. ↑ "CPM brings ally PDP out in the open - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  19. ↑ Free Maudany Campaign (30 November 2013). "A Full Length Film on the Fabricated Cases on Abdul Nasar Maudany and Others". Youtube. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  20. ↑ Wahab, Hisham Ul (15 August 2016). "Let The Walls Speak: The many meanings of Azaadi". The Companion. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  21. ↑ "Jacob Thomas reveals why he delayed Abdul Nasser Madani's arrest in 1998". The News Minute. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "Kerala parties start bid for Madani release". The Pioneer. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  23. ↑ "Here's a classic case of minority appeasement". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "Either release Madani or hang him, says Kerala Local Administration Minister KT Jaleel". The New Indian Express. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  25. ↑ "Justice for Madani Forum set up". The New Indian Express. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  26. ↑ "Justice for Madani Forum demands NIA probe in Bangalore blast case". DNA India. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  27. ↑ "Pressure grows for Bengaluru blast accused's release". Deccan Herald. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  28. ↑ "Bangalore police arrests Madani in Kerala". India Today. 17 August 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  29. ↑ "PDP's Madani allowed to attend daughter's marriage, police to monitor". Firstpost. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  30. ↑ "Abdul Nasser Madani again stirs up controversy". The Times of India. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  31. ↑ "Give immediate medical treatment to Maudany, court tells Karnataka". The Hindu. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  32. 1 2 "Chief Justice of India calls Abdul Nazar Madani a 'dangerous man'". The News Minute. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  33. ↑ "NIA court rejects Madani's plea to attend son's wedding, PDP hartal in Kerala Wednesday". OnManorama. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  34. ↑ "SC declines Maudany's plea to relax bail condition in 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts". Deccan Chronicle. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  35. ↑ Madani finally held, flown to Bangalore. Hindustan Times (16 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  36. ↑ An ineffective move Archived 25 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  37. ↑ "SC declines Maudany's plea to relax bail condition in 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts". Deccan Chronicle. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  38. ↑ Mangalore Unravelling Bomb Blasts will Trigger off Communal Unrest – Madani
  39. ↑ The Pioneer
  40. 1 2 3 Madani's wife charged with aiding LeT man - Economic Times
  41. ↑ Dacoity case: CB arrests Thadiyantavide Nazeer|work=The Times of India
  42. ↑ "Nazeer confesses he was member of terror outfit". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  43. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  44. ↑ "HC reserves judgment on charge-sheet". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  45. ↑ "After the 2008 bomb blasts, Nasir called his 'le". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  46. ↑ "Archive.ph". Archived from the original on 30 June 2013.
  47. ↑ SC bench split on granting bail to blast accused Madani. Hindustan Times (5 May 2011). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  48. ↑ Madani admits to role in Bangalore stadium blasts – Times Of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (24 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  49. ↑ Madani says he will surrender before court. Indian Express (15 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  50. ↑ Madani under jail threat, again. Deccanherald.com. Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  51. ↑ "Madani 'confesses' role in Bangalore blasts". The Economic Times . 25 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  52. ↑ Court issues another NBW against Madani. Sify.com. Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  53. ↑ I will surrender before a court: Madani. Sify.com (15 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  54. ↑ Madani pretending to be ill, SC told – Rediff.com India News. Rediff.com (29 April 2011). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  55. ↑ "How can wheelchair-bound Madani be a threat, asks". The Times of India. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  56. ↑ SC split verdict on Mahdani's bail plea in Bangalore blast case. In.news.yahoo.com (4 May 2011). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  57. 1 2 "Murder attempt case: Madhani questioned by Kerala police". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017.
  58. ↑ "No Proof on Plot to Kill Parameswaran, Alavi". The Indian Express . 29 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  59. ↑ "Conspiracy to kill RSS ideologue: No interference in probe, says crime branch". The Times of India . 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
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