Spain reduces jail term of Indian terror accused
January 19th, 2011 - 6:42 pm ICT by IANSMumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) The Supreme Court of Spain has reduced the jail term of Mumbai-born businessman Roshan Jamal Khan from eight and half years to six years for alleged terror links, his brother said here Wednesday but claimed that the terror charges had been dropped.The Spanish apex court ruling came in an appeal filed by Roshan Jamal Khan, challenging a lower court verdict of December 2009 that sentenced him to eight and half years, said his brother Mehboob Khan. Terming it a “blatant violation of human rights”, he lamented the Indian government’s silence on the case.
Mehboob Khan claimed that all terror charges against his brother had been dropped quoting the judgement in Spanish but said he did not know on what charges his brother had been sentenced for six years.
Roshan Jamal Khan, 57, was nabbed along with 10 Pakistanis from a mosque in Barcelona Jan 19, 2008, for alleged terror links and has been in custody of the Spanish police since.
Regretting the apex court decision, Mehboob Khan said his brother’s appeal came up for hearing Dec 15, 2010 and lasted barely two hours. The verdict was given Dec 29, during the Christmas vacations and the judgement of 123 pages was given Jan 12 this year.
“It seems that the hearing was just a charade. Everything seems to have been pre-planned. Our lawyer had also hinted to Roshan and us of this sort of judgment and apprehended that political pressure might influence the Supreme Court decision,” alleged Mehboob Khan.
“We are at a loss and just cannot understand the reason behind this conviction,” he said.
He also lamented the silence of the Indian government, the Indian embassy in Spain and the Ministry of External Affairs for its silence on the issue, terming his brother’s case a “clear injustice and blatant violation of human rights”.
He said that after consulting legal advisors in Spain, the family would soon decide the further course of action to secure justice and Roshan Jamal Khan’s release.
Mehboob Khan added that the 14-and-a-half year sentence slapped on the other accused had also been reduced to six years and the terror charges, including possession of explosives and conspiracy, were dropped.
- Family of Indian jailed in Spain to move European court - Mar 29, 2012
- Parents of Indian jailed in Spain die in Mumbai - Sep 30, 2011
- Indian among 11 jailed in Spain for terror offences - Dec 17, 2009
- Indian jailed in Spain for terror plot, family claims innocence (Lead) - Dec 17, 2009
- Ex-navy man, starlet sentenced for TV executive's murder (Lead) - Jul 01, 2011
- Barcelona suicide attack plotters file pleas against sentence - Dec 25, 2009
- Supreme Court reserves verdict on Kasab's plea (Lead) - Apr 25, 2012
- Ex-navy man, actress jailed for killing TV executive (Second Lead) - Jul 01, 2011
- Protests in Bihar against acquittal of massacre accused - Apr 17, 2012
- No need for Gilani to quit, says Pakistani cabinet - Apr 26, 2012
- Gilani convicted for contempt, opposition wants him out (Third Lead) - Apr 26, 2012
- Death sentences commuted for six in Khairlanji massacre (Roundup) - Jul 14, 2010
- Gilani convicted, opposition demands his ouster (Second Lead) - Apr 26, 2012
- Convicted Gilani must quit, says opposition - Apr 26, 2012
- Salman, Farhan speak up for actor Shiney Ahuja (Lead) - Mar 31, 2011
Tags: apex, apex court, blatant violation, christmas vacations, court verdict, half years, indian embassy, indian government, injustice, jail term, jamal khan, jan 19, judgement, ministry of external affairs, mosque, pakistanis, spanish police, supreme court decision, terror charges, violation of human rights