Liyaqat Shah case: J&K ex-CM Omar Abdullah happy that action will be taken against Delhi Police personnel

NEW DELHI: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed happiness over indications that the Centre would take action against some Delhi Police officials who allegedly filed a fabricated case against Liyaqat Shah, labelling him as a terrorist.

"I'm glad I took this up as forcefully as I did," Omar tweeted while referring to reports that Home Ministry would take action in the false arrest case.

Shah, while returning his home under the 'surrender policy' of Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested by Delhi Police's elite Special Cell on March 20, 2013 for allegedly being a militant of banned Hizbul Mujahdieen. They alleged that he was in Delhi to carry out terror strikes.

National Investigation Agency (NIA), however, gave him a clean chit last week in a chargesheet filed in the case in a court here. It said that weapons had been planted on him to frame Shah, who hails from north Kashmir.

NIA had submitted a report on the role of Delhi Police special cell officials after which top sources in the Union Home Ministry yesterday indicated that tough action will be taken against the delinquent officers who had allegedly "framed and fabricated" terror charges against Shah.

"The next time someone in J&K wants to question the NIA's objectivity please remember how well they handled the Liyaqat case," Omar said.

Omar, who was the then Chief Minister of the state, had protested against Shah's arrest after which the case was taken away from the Delhi Police and handed over to the NIA.

Shah thanked Omar for his effort. "It was Omar Saheb's hard work that a poor man like me got justice. He pursued the case to logical conclusion and ensured justice for me," he said over phone.

"When I was arrested, I had lost all hope but the stand taken by the then state government gave a fresh lease of life to me. Now I hope some example is set by the government so that no innocent has to go undergo, what I went through," he added.