Accused to acquitted, but their trial isn't over
Himanshi Dhawan
TNN
Jul 26, 2025, 19:35 IST
19 years on, 12 men have been freed in the 2006 train blasts case. Sunday Times examines how harsh anti-terror laws upend lives, even after a 'not guilty' verdict
In Sept 2012, when Mohammad Irfan Gaus was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in the Nanded arms haul case, he ran a modest inverter battery business and had been married for just six months. It took him seven years to get bail and nine to be acquitted by a special National Investigation Agency court in June 2021. Ironically, the three men found guilty in the Nanded arms case were sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. In the eyes of the law, the difference between the innocent and the guilty was just a year.
The years of incarceration have left Gaus, now 36 years old and currently unemployed, broke and broken. 'We were never rich, but the earnings of my small business were enough for us to get by. After the arrest, my family spent all the savings, sold their belongings, and borrowed from relatives to fight the court case,' he says.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Locals set SUV on fire after it hits biker, divider
Jaipur: Tension flared up in Pratap Nagar Saturday night after a speeding Scorpio crashed into a bike near Maharana Pratap Circle before ramming into a road divider. Later, an agitated mob set the vehicle on fire. After the incident, which occurred around 9pm, the driver fled from the spot immediately, leaving the damaged vehicle behind. TNN Locals set SUV on fire... turn: Jaipur: As news of the hit-and-run spread, people living nearby gathered at the place, vandalised the Scorpio and later set it ablaze, according to eyewitnesses. Firefighters rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control within half an hour. Police officials said the biker sustained injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital. His condition is reported to be stable. A senior police official said, "The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled, after which the locals it set the SUV on fire." The official said police had a tough time in dispersing the crowd and clearing the road. "We are reviewing CCTV footage and gathering information to trace the driver," he said, adding that the Scorpio was completely gutted. "Efforts are underway to track down the driver of the SUV. Locals said they saw the driver driving recklessly as the SUV was swerving and constantly changing lanes," he said.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Police recover stolen articles worth Rs4 lakh, 2 held
Nashik: Shirpur police have arrested two men in connection with a grocery store burglary, recovering stolen goods worth over Rs 4lakh. The incident occurred on the night between May 17 and May 18 this year, when unidentified suspects broke into a wholesale grocery store in Shirpur, decamping with a substantial amount of goods. During investigation, the teams found that Wahid Hasan Siddique of Malegaon and his associate were involved in the crime. Acting on this lead, Dhule police dispatched a team to Malegaon and took Wahid into custody. During interrogation, he also identified his accomplices — Asif Tailor, Imran alias Vandya Qureshi, and Sonu alias Sayyad Hussain, all residents of Malegaon. TNN
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Man arrested with ganja, sedative tablets
Thiruvananthapuram: A 23-year-old man was arrested with ganja and several sedative tablets during a routine patrol at Maruthoorkadavu on Saturday night. The arrested person was identified by police as Anandhu, 23, of Snehapuri at Pappanamcode. Police said that a patrolling team saw the accused standing near a transformer at Maruthoorkadavu bridge. Seeing police, the accused tried to escape from there, but he was stopped by officers. As he gave contradictory answers to the officers' questions, they checked him and found over 20 tablets, including nitrazepam, and 10g of ganja in his pocket. The accused was remanded after being produced before a court on charges under sections 22 and 20 (b) (ii) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act-1985. "He was addicted to the drugs and was also involved in its sale. He was waiting for some customers when the team took him into custody. The call details of the accused will be examined to find the other links in the network," said police. TNN
