Mumbai, Feb 09: The Maharashtra government today sought time to file an affidavit in response to a petition filed by Sayed Khwaja Ayub, father of Ghatkopar blast accused Sayyed Khwaja Yunus, who allegedly escaped from police custody. The petition, challenging the police version that the accused had escaped, has prayed for a CBI probe and a direction to produce Yunus dead or alive in the court. A division bench comprising Justice S S Parkar and Justice V K Tailramani today adjourned further hearing till February 16 after special public prosecutor Purnima Khantaria sought time to file an affidavit. Advocate Mihir Desai, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, urged the court for a direction to the state government to give his client the compensation till his son is not found as he was the only earning member in the family.
Engineering graduate Yunus is alleged to have escaped from police custody on January 7 last year, after a police van in which he was being taken to Aurangabad, met with an accident.


Dr Abdul Mateen, a co-accused, has disclosed before the designated Pota court earlier, that Yunus was tortured in police custody and perhaps he may have died.
Bureau Report