Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind to help Himayat Baig's family

Soon after a court sentenced Indian Mujahedeen operative Mirza Himayat Baig to death in the German Bakery blast case today, his family members approached Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, a prominent NGO of minority community, to help in filing an appeal against the sentence in Bombay High Court.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind provides free legal aid to Muslim youths who it believes have been falsely implicated in criminal cases.

31-year-old Baig was today sentenced to death by a Pune court in the February 13, 2010, German Bakery blasts case.

Baig's brother Tariq Baig and other relatives met Gulzar Azmi, a social activist, who heads the legal cell of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, according to sources here.

"The family members of Himayat Baig met us. They claimed that he was innocent and falsely dragged into the case by the Anti-Terrorism Squad. We have not yet decided anything. Once they get the copy of the judgement, we would study it and then decide it on the merits of the case," Azmi said.

"Our policy is very clear, we extend legal aid, only if we are convinced that the person is innocent," he said, pointing out that in the past too they have extended legal aid to many accused and have fought the case successfully in trial courts, high courts and the Supreme Court. 

Source:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kin-of-bakery-blast-convict-seek-help-from-ngo-to-file-appeal/1104415/
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/himayat-baigs-kin-seek-legal-aid-muslim-body-142543008.html

Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind should check this matter as the death sentence by the court seems to be fishy to many Muslims. It should be made sure that if Baig is innocent than he should not be punished. There have been instances in the past that Muslims have been falsely convicted which it should not happen again.

Death sentence given to Himayat Baig

The lone German bakery blast case convict Mirza Himayat Inayat Baig was sentenced to death by a sessions court in Pune on Thursday.

The court had on Monday found Baig, the only person arrested among the seven accused in the case, guilty on five counts, including murder and criminal conspiracy.

After day-long arguments, additional sessions judge N P Dhote said the case fell under the “rarest-of-the-rare” category, warranting the most severe punishment.

The court also sentenced him to life imprisonment on five other counts. The death penalty will have to be confirmed by the Bombay high court.

Baig, who had kept his calm when pronounced guilty, fainted briefly on hearing the sentence. “The innocent victims of bakery blast will not get justice if another innocent person gets hanged,” a weeping Baig said, reading out from his notes in a packed courtroom.

The judge said he could approach higher court if he felt justice was not done.

Source:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Pune-German-bakery-blast-Himayat-Baig-gets-death/Article1-1046459.aspx

The verdict seems to be very fishy to many Muslims including family members of Himayat Baig who are saying that Himayat is innocent and is wrongly dragged into the case.
When asked by the judge as to what he had to say about the verdict, Baig broke down and pleaded innocence, alleging that he had been falsely implicated in the case by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad led by Rakesh Maria. 
"I am innocent and have nothing to do with the German Bakery bombing. Police have failed to nab the real culprit and I have been made the scapegoat in the case. While 17 persons died in the explosion, I have been made the 18th victim," he told the judge.