Geelani says police tried to take away mobile, police deny claim

Delhi University lecturer S.A.R. Geelani Monday claimed a Delhi Police team tried to confiscate his mobile phone. Police denied the allegation.

"Two Delhi policemen in plain clothes came to my house in Zakir Nagar today (Monday) afternoon and asked me to hand over my mobile phone to them without giving a proper reason. When I asked them the reason, they told me to talk with their senior officers," Geelani told IANS.

Geelani said though he refused to give his mobile phone to them, they kept hanging around his house for an hour.

"In the meantime, a few journalists came to my house. The police officers then went away," he said, adding police don't want him to air his views after parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's execution.

Delhi Police, however, denied Geelani's claim. "He used to make such allegations against us, which makes no sense," said an officer, who did not wish to be named.

On Feb 9, Geelani, a teacher in Delhi University's Zakir Hussain College who was also arrested for his involvement in the Dec 13, 2001, attack but was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2003, spoke to the press soon after Afzal Guru was hanged and slammed the government for hanging him without informing his family in Kashmir. - IANS