Nayeem Siddique's father says his son is framed

Abdul Mutalib Katagi, also known as Dadapeer, refuses to believe his son, Nayeem Siddique, a medical doctor practising in Bangalore, could be involved in any terrorist activities.

In an interview, Dadapeer broke down and said his son and family had close ties with Hindus and none of them harboured extremist views or intentions.

“We have been staying in a Hindu locality in Davangere. Ours is the only Muslim family. We assist our neighbours in installing Ganesha pandal (tent) every year. My son has been a part of many Hindu festivities.

Our neighbours acknowledge this. We never thought, even in our dreams, of (him) contacting terrorists. But, my son has been charged with this offence,” said a teary-eyed Dadapeer on Wednesday.

“My son is innocent. He has been framed and it’s grave injustice,” he said, crying.
Nayeem Siddique was picked up and detained by the Central Crime Branch officers on September 2 to ascertain if he had links with terrorist groups, as part of the wider Bangalore-Hyderabad-Hubli-Nanded terror plot, which police claimed to have busted last week.

Dadapeer, 58, has resided in Davangere’s KB Extension since 1986. He hails from Hubli, and repairs and sells coin-operated telephones for a living. He has five children - four girls and Nayeem. The girls are all married.

Dadapeer, who has studied till tenth standard, has travelled all over the country when he traded in chillies, a famous crop from his region.

“My family members, friends and neighbours, most whom are Hindus, helped financially during my daughters’ weddings. They also helped my son whenever he needed money while he was pursuing medicine in Tumkur,” he said.

Dadapeer said Nayeem and his friends had met Congress Lingayat leader Shyamanur Shivashankarappa and his son to facilitate the ear surgery of a Hindu girl.

Unfounded

“How could my son, having this background, have links with terrorist groups? I am still awaiting a convincing reply from the police,” said Dadapeer.

Dadapeer got a loan for Rs 84,000 from the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Limited for his son’s medical education.

He had repaid only Rs 16,000 as he ran into financial trouble recently.

Nayeem stayed as a paying guest near Kalasipalya in Bangalore where he worked in the intensive care unit of a hospital. He came to the City a year ago to train for admission to a post graduate course. But he planned to do a diploma after not being able to get admission.

Nayeem wanted a diploma in emergency medicine. He believed he could earn about Rs 15,000 in Bangalore or Hyderabad if he qualified.

On August 30 Dadapeer and Nayeem, went to Delhi as the latter believes he might earn Rs 40,000 a month there. Later, they realised Nayeem would not be able to practise in Delhi if he was to do a diploma.

They decided to return to Bangalore. But Nayeem was arrested just as he and his father reached Bangalore railway station.

“We reached the Bangalore City railway station around 1.45 pm. We were searching for a pre-paid auto when some men, in two groups, held us and (put us) into two Tata Sumos. They snatched my cellphone and directed to shut up my mouth (sic).

We were taken to CCB office where they let me free after two hours. They said they would free my son late evening as they were inquiring him.

One of the officers asked me to sign on arrest information around 10.30 pm (sic). It was then that I realised my son was arrested on the charge of waging war against India,” he said.

Dadapeer said Nayeem had recently managed to buy a laptop after earning about Rs. 30,000 over the past year. But the police seized it as part of evidence for their case.

“Now I am at a loss to understand whether my son has a bright career and will come out of the police clutches,” he said.