Delhi court directs Tihar to allow IM founder Bhatkal to interact with ailing mother

PTI New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday directed Tihar jail authorities to allow Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yaseen Bhatkal to interact with his ailing mother through video conferencing. Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur also directed the accused to communicate with his mother in “Hindi language only”. The jail superintendent concerned is also at liberty to get the communication recorded for security purposes, if any, the judge said.

“Considering the totality of facts and circumstances and in light of the judgment of the High Court of Delhi, the concerned jail superintendent is directed to allow the accused to interact with his mother through video conferencing one time only,” the judge said. The judge passed the order on an application moved by the counsel for the accused, claiming that Bhatkal's mother has undergone heart surgery this month and her condition is critical.

Advocate M S Khan, appearing for the accused along with advocates Qausar Khan and Prashant Prakash, also submitted that Bhatkal has not talked to his family for the last 13 years. The accused, who had earlier sought custody parole to meet his mother, said he was not pressing the request for parole and rather prayed that he may be provided with a virtual meeting facility with his mother once a month “on humanitarian grounds”. The police opposed the application.

Bhatkal is accused in several cases of terrorism, including one related to conspiring to wage war against India in 2012 and another in connection to the September 2008 serial blasts in Delhi that claimed 26 lives.