Police framing Javed Mozawalla, claims lawyer

Breaking its silence for the first time, the family of Javed Mozawalla, the alleged ISI agent accused of spying for Pakistan by the Mumbai crime branch, has claimed that he is completely innocent.

On Monday Mozawalla's wife Fatima addressed the media and she claimed that her husband was not anti-national. 'I just want to tell you that he is an innocent and very simple man. He is not in any way involved in any anti-national activities. I have full faith in the Indian courts and I know that I will get justice," Fatima Mozawalla said.

While Fatima stuck to her brief statement and refused to take any questions, all the talking was done by lawyer Mubin Solkar who has been engaged by the family to defend Javed.

Solkar said the police has framed Mozawalla. "There are many inconsistencies with regard to the police claims about Mozawalla. Firstly, he was not arrested on December 8 as is being claimed but on December 7; secondly, no incriminating documents have been found at his house, all that the policemen took from him are three cell phones, his bike keys, his certificates and ATM cards. There has been no other seizure from the house," said Solkar.

Solkar's contention was how can the cops claim to have recovered incriminating documents from Mozawalla's house when no search was carried out at his residence. Solkar added that the cops had taken Mozawalla to sensitive defence installations and other restricted areas and forced him to click pictures there.

"Mozawalla was taken to Lonavala after being threatened with physical harm. Everyone knows what happens when you are in police custody, he has been tortured. Javed knows nothing about any of the documents that are being planted on him," said Solkar.

"He is an Indian citizen and loves his country. There has not even been a single criminal charge against him," claimed the defence lawyer.

When pointed out that his phone records show that Mozawalla was in touch with two nationals from the Pakistani consulate who were allegedly his handlers, Solkar said Javed was in touch with them to facilitate his Pakistani cousin's visit to India.

"His aunt was married to a Pakistani national and her son Danish, who is Javed's cousin, got married in 2005, so Javed along with his family had gone there, they again met him a year later in 2006. A few months back, Danish expressed his desire to visit India and hence Javed has been in touch with them. He only spoke with them for this purpose and not for anything else as has been claimed," said Solkar.

The latter also claimed that Javed had not taken any flying course as has been claimed by the crime branch and also that he was not in touch with any defence personnel.

The crime branch has claimed that Mozawalla was using a terror manual to conduct a recce and had studied places like Koyna dam and defence installations.