'They asked me to become approver, offered ₹10L, job in Dubai, but I refused'

MUMBAI: A day after the Bombay high court judgment acquitted him from the charge of conspiracy in the 11/7 train blasts , Mohammed Ali Shaikh 's Govandi residence was filled with relatives and neighbours who greeted him with sweets, while phones buzzed with congratulatory calls.

"The happiness of reuniting with my family cannot be described. After 19 years, I sat with my wife, children, brothers and sisters and had food," said Shaikh (56), as he sat with the TOI reporter at the threshold of his house on Tuesday.

"The high court has freed us. Truth has triumphed. We will fight our case in the Supreme Court if need be, and are sure to win," he added.

Shaikh received word about their acquittal during an online court hearing. "Ehtesham Siddiqui and I were released from Nagpur jail on Monday evening and flew to Mumbai at 3.30am Tuesday."

"We were falsely implicated, tortured, and humiliated. Even my 11-year-old son was slapped by an ATS officer," he recalled. "ATS officers would visit my house and harass my family. They threatened me at gunpoint and asked me to become approver, even offering me Rs 10 lakh, a job in Dubai and Rs 10,000 monthly expenses if I complied. But I did not accept as we were innocent."

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had claimed that a Pakistani had visited Shaikh's home and manufactured the bombs that were planted on the trains on July 11, 2006. "Everything was a lie. They tarnished our image, imprisoned Shaikh and ruined our families," said a relative.

When lodged in Thane jail, Shaikh had applied for parole after his brother Munawwar passed away, but it was rejected. Later his father died. "This time, they sanctioned parole, but the fee for police escort from Thane jail to Govandi was Rs 1.7 lakh. How could I afford it?" he rued.

In jail, Shaikh passed two courses in tourism, completed graduation in Arts, and appeared for the first-year exam for MA (History). He plans to complete his post-graduation.

Meanwhile, Zameer Shaikh (50), a key-maker from Worli who was released from Amravati jail on Monday evening after his acquittal, told TOI over the phone: "I am thankful to Allah. I am travelling right now." He said his son, who was in Class 1 when he was arrested in 2006, has become a mechanical engineer and his daughter is also studying. He added that he misses his parents, who died when he was in jail. Zameer was sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court for allegedly receiving arms training in Pakistan and for alleged links with the Matunga train blast.