New Delhi: The family of Muhammad Junaid, who had alleged that he was targeted by the Uttar Pradesh Police for providing meals to NEET paper leak protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, has been released from custody, his lawyer said on Sunday, July 26.
In a post on Instagram, Junaid’s lawyer said Junaid and his entire family had been released and were now free, a development the lawyer said had also been confirmed by one of Junaid’s family members. “Mohammad Junaid and his whole family have been released and set free, as confirmed by one of the family members… he and his family are free now,” the post said.
Junaid had alleged that late on Friday, July 24, the Uttar Pradesh Police raided his house in Masoori, Ghaziabad, arrested his father, Mustafa, and detained his minor brother, while seizing financial and identity documents including PAN cards, Aadhaar cards and bank passbooks.
Speaking to the media at the time, Junaid said he was being threatened against joining the protesters and told to return from Delhi.
Junaid had further alleged that the UP Police also reached his sister’s house in Meerut, where they arrested both her husband and father-in-law. His sister told reporters that police had asked her father to call Junaid and tell him to return home. The Meerut Police denied these allegations.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), for which Junaid had been volunteering at the Jantar Mantar protest, came out in his support, alleging that instead of pursuing criminals, police officers were “wasting their time” going after their volunteer.
“Now they’re harassing him and his family in UP. Our team is in touch with him, and we will never let them victimise him or his family,” the organisation said.
The development follows similar reports of Muslims being targeted for their involvement in or support of the CJP-led protest. A group of five Muslim students returning to Jamia Millia Islamia University from Jantar Mantar late at night were allegedly taken to a police station, and were let off only after others reportedly confronted the police.
