Kin worry about their young men, not NIA chargesheet

The NIA had on Wednesday filed an over 8,000-page chargesheet against Majeed and his three friends Fahad Shaikh, Saheem Tanki and Amaan Tandel. They have been charged under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 125 of the Indian Penal Code. The four young men had left their homes, reportedly to join the ISIS in Iraq in May 2014. Shaikh, Tanki and Tandel are still said to be in Iraq.

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Dr. Tanveer Shaikh, father of Fahad says the NIA charges, despite government assurances, does not come to him as a surprise. “We can’t change whatever has happened. Now, I am not really hopeful or eager about my son’s return,” he said. He refused to believe allegations about ISIS keeping men and women as “sex slaves”.

According to the NIA chargesheet, Majeed said that one of the reasons why he returned to India was the “un-Islamic” activities of the IS such as “treating men and women as sex slaves”.

The family of Saheem Tanki was anxious about his well being. “It’s been five months since we last spoke to Saheem. There’s no news from him,” said his uncle Kashif Tanki, adding, “We want Saheem to return home. We are ready to face any legal ramifications.” The Tanki family on Thursday hosted a very subdued marriage reception of Saheem’s elder brother Farzaan at their home.

When Naeem Tandel, father of Amaan, was asked for a comment, he replied that he has yet to read the chargesheet.
Earlier, Majeed’s mother Raziya had said that he had returned to India on his own. She was disappointed by the UAPA and other IPC charges levelled against her son. “Earlier they said they would treat them well. We will see now what the future holds. We have left everything to Allah,” she said, adding that Majeed had returned as he wanted to come back for the family.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com