Gujarat police release doctors held for terror charges

The Gujarat police who had held two doctors from Bijapur, Karnataka on August 16 in connection with the Ahmedabad serial blasts case released the duo after they realized that it was case of mistaken identity.

Dr Ali Khan Pathan and Dr Saleem Honnalli were picked up by the Gujarat police on August 16. However they were released after the Karnataka police confirmed that the two doctors were not involved in the blasts.

Sources in the Karnataka police told rediff.com that it was a case of mistaken identity. The alleged mastermind in the blast, Abu Basher during his interrogation blurted out the name of one Saleem and based on this information Dr Saleem was held. Dr Saleem--an ex SIMI cadre was living his relative Dr Pathan.

The Gujarat police thought that he was the same Saleem as was mentioned by Basher and hence they tracked him down and held him.

The duo have now returned to Karnataka. Dr Saleem told the media that a couple of days later, the Gujarat police realized their mistake and wanted to hand them over to the Karnataka police according to the procedure. However, the release was delayed as the Karnataka police did not turn up to take them back.