Aligarh, October 8, 2023: Student leader Farhan Zuberi, who was jailed for allegedly beating up a Hindu youth with a belt at the Suleiman Hostel of Aligarh Muslim University, was released on bail on Friday.
His supporters reached the district jail and welcomed him with garland of flowers. After his release, AMU student leader Farhan Zuberi while talking to Radiance, said, “First of all the manner in which they had arrested me was wrong and illegal. When I came out from the campus to go to the Sulaiman Hall from V.M. Hall they picked me on my way and did not say anything as to where they were taking me to. They did not inform anyone not even my friends. They kept me at a police station for the whole night which is about 10 to 15 kilometres away from Aligarh. However, none of them misbehaved with me.”
On why he was arrested, Farhan said, “Few months ago, an incident took place in our hostel. Some unidentified men, we don’t know if they were students or not, attacked a student there. When I came to know about it, as I was senior and student leader and also member of the hostel, I just intervened and tried to save the student. Some students had also shot a video and with the help of that video they framed me as if I had attacked the student along with my supporters. Some BJP members as usual targeted me through social media, channel or other means and blamed me for the entire incident.”
Based on a video which went viral, a case was registered against Zubairi, a resident of Badaun, at the Police Station Civil Lines. On September 23, the police arrested him from the campus gate.
“Mere allegations don’t make one a culprit. Framing Farhan Zuberi and demonising his character merely on the basis of few accusations is a fallacy and technique to defame the Aligarh Muslim University. Whether he is involved in any crime or not is a matter for the court to decide. I strongly denounce the media trial against him and truly believing in the judicial system, he must be given a transparent chance to prove his innocence. In recent years it’s routine of the police administration and government to frame active students raising voice for justice,” said Dr. Maskoor Ahmad Usmani, former President of AMU Students Union.
