Abdul Wahid Sheikh (38), the only accused acquitted in the July 11, 2006 Mumbai train blast case, was finally got freedom from high-security Arthur Road jail on Saturday, where he had been lodged for nine years since his arrest.
“Accused no. 8 (Abdul Wahid) is found not guilty of having committed any offences with which he is charged”, special MCOCA court judge Yatin D Shinde had observed while acquitted him. “Wahid has been given a clean chit,” the judge said.
Abdul Wahid Shaikh thumbs-up sign brings a smile on his family’s faces, who was in tears for nine years waiting for his release.
Wahed’s wife clad in a burqa burst into tears and yelled at the media after the verdict. “Where was the media for the last nine years?”. “You never came to ask us and accused us wrongly in the blast case,” she screamed.
“Police wasted his precious nine years of his life, will police bring back his nine years”, Will Govt compensate it? Ask one of the relatives.
“I feel happy for him. He has been proven innocent after nine years,” his brother-in-law, who did not wish to reveal his name, said.
“We knew from day one that he was innocent. He was framed for no reason. He was tortured by the police and his statement was taken forcefully. The police had no proof against him,” he added.
Wahed was accused of sheltering another accused Ehtesham Siddiqui and was subsequently arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad.
After he was freed, Wahid first visited the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind’s office in Bhendi Bazaar. “He thanked us for all the legal aid given over the years, said, Advocate Shahid Nadeem.
“Our mother is ecstatic that he has returned. We are very relieved now”, said Wahid brother. Before his arrest, Wahid was an employed as a professor at Anjuman-I-Islam’s Akbar Peerbhoy College of Economics and Commerce at Grant Road.