Abdul Nazer Mahdani

Abdul Nazer Mahdani, also known as Abdul Nasser Maudani or Madani, is an Indian Muslim radical activist and leader of fundamentalist Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Kerala, India.[1]

Abdul Nazer Mahdani
അബ്ദുന്നാസർ മദനി
Personal details
BornSasthamkotta, Kerala, India
NationalityIndian
Political partyPeoples Democratic Party
Spouse(s)Soofiya Madani

Mahdani was accused of involving in 1998 Coimbatore bombings, but was acquitted of all charges after spending nine and half years in Coimbatore Central Prison.[2][3] He is under judicial custody in relation with the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts.[4]

In 1992, Mahdani became the target of an assassination attempt where he lost his right leg and is fitted with a prosthetic limb.[5][2][6][7]

Political Activism

At a young age, Mahdani began delivering sermons at a local mosque in the Kollam district. His oratory skills were well received, and he soon built up a following.[8] He subsequently formed the Islamic Seva Sangh (ISS) and later launched the PDP.[8] Communist Party of India (Marxist) forged alliance[9] with PDP at various elections in Kerala and winning a few seats in the council elections.[10]

Chengara Solidarity March

Abdul Nasser Mahdani delivered a speech at Chengara Adivasi Protest in support of the struggle in May 2008. He declared the objective of Muslim-Dalit-Adivasi Unity under the banner of "Power to Avarnas and Liberation to The Oppressed"[11][12]

Free Madani Campaign

With the aim of providing legal and financial aid to PDP chairman Abdul Nasser Madani, who has been arrested in connection with the Bangalore blast case, to wage legal and political battle, Justice For Madani Forum was constituted under the aegis of various Muslim organisations on 25 August 2010.[13] The Justice for Madani Forum demanded that the Bangalore blast case, in which PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, has been listed as an accused, should be probed by any agency outside the state of Karnataka, preferably by the National Investigating Agency (NIA).[14]

K. P. Sasi made a documentry Fabricated based on Mahdani's life and making a case for Mahdani's innocence.[15]

The Kerala Legislative Assembly on 16 March 2006, passed a unanimous resolution seeking the release of Mahdani on humanitarian grounds.[3]

Controversies
Islamic Seva Sangh

Mahdani had set up the Islamic Seva Sangh in 1989. It was banned in 1992 for alleged subversive act along with SIMI and Jamaat-e-Islami following the Babri Masjid demolition.[8][16][17]

Alleged connections with Thadiyantavide Nazeer

Investigators allege that suspected south India commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba Thadiyantavide Nazeer came into militancy through ISS founded by Mahdani.[18][19] Nazeer is suspected to have established links with LeT[19][20] and was picked up by Bangladeshi authorities and handed over to BSF on the Meghalaya border.[19] In connection with the Bangalore blast case, police have presented phone records to the court proving that Madani contacted the main accused Nazeer several times before and after the blast. Phone calls were made from a number registered in Madani's wife Soofiya's name.[21][22] According to the police, after orchestrating the blasts Nasir went in hiding at Madani's office at Anvarssery.[23] However Madani's advocate B. V. Acharya has contended that it is "only a make believe theory to implicate Madani".[24]

Allegation on Coimbatore blast case
madani after his release from Coimbatore jail

He was allegedly involved in the Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case held on 14 February 1998, that killed 58 people. Mahdani was imprisoned for nine years. Later, Mahdani was acquitted of all charge.[25]

High Court and Supreme court observations in Bangalore blast case

Mahdani is lodged in Karnataka jail and is in judicial custody for his involvement in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts, which killed one person and injured 20 more, and for similar incidents in Ahmedabad, Surat and Jaipur.[26] As per former Karnataka state Home Minister V. S. Acharya, Mahdani also allegedly admitted role in the 2010 Bangalore stadium bombing on 17 April 2010,[27] which he had denied earlier.[28][29] This assertion regarding the confession of Mahdani was rejected by Mahdani's counsel and said that the allegation baseless and devoid of facts, and is politically motivated.[30] After a court issued a fresh non-bailable warrant,[31] Mahdani claimed that he proffered to surrender so as to avoid 'unpleasant situations' when he was to be arrested.[32]

On 11 February 2011, the Karnataka High Court had rejected Mahdani's plea. stating that there is seldom ever any direct evidence in such cases as conspiracies of this nature are hatched in complete secrecy.[33] At the final hearing Justice Markandey Katju uttered that he was wondering as to how a person on a wheel chair could pose a threat if released on bail.[34]The Supreme Court bench was divided on granting bail to Mahdani and posted the matter to Chief Justice of India to form a new bench to decide on the plea.[35] On March 2013 Mahdani was granted a 5-day interim bail to attend his daughter's wedding and to visit his ailing father.[36] On 21 October 2013, the Supreme Court of India directed the Karnataka Government to immediately shift Mahdani to a private hospital for treatment. The court also allowed his wife to be along with him as a bystander during his stay in the hospital.[37] On 24 July 2017, his bail application for attending his son's marriage on 9 August was rejected by NIA court. In response to this, his party PDP called for state wide harthal in Kerala on 26 July 2017.[38]

Mahdani while being arrested for Bangalore blast case

An article by an investigative journalist at Tehelka suggests that that the testimony of one of the witnesses in the case was fabricated by the investigating agency. It also alleges that one other witness was "brutally tortured" to give a testimony against Madhani.[39]

Murder attempt case

Madhani has been named the first accused in a case registered in 2013 relating to the alleged attempt in 1998 to murder RSS ideologue P. Parameswaran and Father K. K. Alavi, a convert into Christianity from Islam.[40] The case relates to Madhani offering money to murder both individuals. Madhani dismissed the charges and said he was not involved in it and alleged political conspiracy against him.[40] In September 2015, Crime Branch had submitted to the court that Parameswaran and Alavi had stated that they had never faced any attempt on their life as alleged in the complaint and that no evidence could be obtained to substantiate this allegation against Mahdani.[41][42]

References
  1. "Abdul Nasser Madani involved in more blast cases: Karnataka Police". The Times of India. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  2. "Maudhany freed, Basha found guilty in Coimbatore blasts case". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 August 2007.
  3. "Madani's custody in Bangalore takes political colour". Indian Express. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  4. Madani pretending to be ill, SC told - Rediff.com India News
  5. Staff (11 September 2006). "HC directs RSS leader to surrender in Madani attack case". One India. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  6. Madani slams CBI, Karnataka cops. deccanchronicle.com. 13 June 2010
  7. HC directs RSS leader to surrender in Madani attack case. News.oneindia.in (11 September 2006). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  8. Special: Are Kerala's Muslims enamoured with Abdul Nasser Madani?. Rediff.com. Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  9. rediff.com: Kerala: PDP leader Madani speaks on terror charges, tie-up with Left
  10. The Hindu : Kerala / Kollam News : Four PDP members expelled from party
  11. Free Maudany Campaign (30 November 2013). "A Full Length Film on the Fabricated Cases on Abdul Nasar Maudany and Others". Youtube. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  12. Wahab, Hisham Ul (15 August 2016). "Let The Walls Speak: The many meanings of Azaadi". The Companion. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  13. "Justice for Madani Forum set up". The New Indian Express. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  14. "Justice for Madani Forum demands NIA probe in Bangalore blast case". DNA India. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  15. "The State Manufactures Terrorism: KP Sasi". The Social Science Collective. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  16. Madani finally held, flown to Bangalore. Hindustan Times (16 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  17. An ineffective move Archived 25 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  18. The Pioneer
  19. Madani’s wife charged with aiding LeT man - Economic Times
  20. Dacoity case: CB arrests Thadiyantavide Nazeer|work=The Times of India
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. "After the 2008 bomb blasts, Nasir called his 'le". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  24. http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=711521%5B%5D
  25. Mangalore Unravelling Bomb Blasts will Trigger off Communal Unrest - Madani
  26. SC bench split on granting bail to blast accused Madani. Hindustan Times (5 May 2011). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  27. Madani admits to role in Bangalore stadium blasts – Times Of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (24 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  28. Madani says he will surrender before court. Indian Express (15 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  29. Madani under jail threat, again. Deccanherald.com. Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  30. ET Bureau (25 August 2010). "Madani 'confesses' role in Bangalore blasts". The Economic Times. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  31. Court issues another NBW against Madani. Sify.com. Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  32. I will surrender before a court: Madani. Sify.com (15 August 2010). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  33. Madani pretending to be ill, SC told – Rediff.com India News. Rediff.com (29 April 2011). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  34. "How can wheelchair-bound Madani be a threat, asks". The Times of India. 22 April 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  35. SC split verdict on Mahdani's bail plea in Bangalore blast case. In.news.yahoo.com (4 May 2011). Retrieved on 24 March 2012.
  36. "PDP's Madani allowed to attend daughter's marriage, police to monitor". Firstpost. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  37. "Give immediate medical treatment to Maudany, court tells Karnataka". The Hindu. 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  38. "NIA court rejects Madani's plea to attend son's wedding, PDP hartal in Kerala Wednesday". OnManorama. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  39. KK, Shahina. "Why is this man still in prison? | Tehelka - Investigations, Latest News, Politics, Analysis, Blogs, Culture, Photos, Videos, Podcasts". old.tehelka.com. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  40. "Murder attempt case: Madhani questioned by Kerala police". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017.
  41. New Indian Express (29 September 2015). "No Proof on Plot to Kill Parameswaran, Alavi". The Indian Express. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  42. TOI (14 February 2017). "Conspiracy to kill RSS ideologue: No interference in probe, says crime branch". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
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