Detention of Muslims worrying: NCP Chief

NEW DELHI: Sharad Pawar on Tuesday expressed concern over the arrest of suspected ISIS youths from Maharashtra’s Marathwada by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad ( ATS).

Pawar said the large-scale arrests of Muslim youths by the ATS was ‘worrying’ and said that while his party would not oppose action against those involved in terror activities he was against ‘harassment’ of innocents.

"Muslims in Marathwada have condemned ISIS… The ATS is indulging in unlawful arrest of Muslims. Once arrested they are kept in custody for three to five days and then shown as arrested. We have no problem them being arrested but you produce them before a magistrate within 24 hours," said Pawar while questioning the procedure of the ATS arrests.

The NCP chief said that the ATS should comply with three main demands: First, there should be no illegal detention, if some one is arrested please produce him before the magistrate within 24 hours. Second, chargesheet should be filed quickly and third, the trials should be completed by a fast track court.