Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged investigating agencies to ensure that the parents of doctors arrested in connection with the Delhi blast and the explosives recovered in Faridabad are not "harassed."
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Mufti condemned the deadly suicide blast near Red Fort that killed nine people and left 20 others injured. She demanded a fair and transparent investigation into the case.
"Our educated doctors are suffering. I want a complete and fair investigation of the Delhi blast. If doctors are involved in this attack, then it is very harmful for all of us. I appeal to the Delhi Government to conduct a free and fair investigation," the PDP chief said.
Mufti also urged authorities to avoid targeting the families of the accused. "They are not involved. This is not good. Those involved should be punished, but don't harass innocents," she added.
"The government should make a difference. Those involved in this, who are criminals, should be punished severely. But their relatives are being arrested without any suspicion, they should be treated properly... Just consider this investigation as an investigation... Even if no one's crime has been proven yet, you are arresting mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters on the basis of suspicion. You are dragging them. This should not happen like this," she said.
Mufti's comments came after the mother of Dr Muzammil, one of the doctors arrested in Faridabad, denied the allegations against her son. She also claimed that the family had not been allowed to meet him since his arrest.
Three doctors - Shaheen Saeed, Muzammil Shakeel Ganale, and Adeel Rather - are currently in custody. Another doctor, Umar Nabi, is believed to have been the suicide bomber who died in the blast on 10 November.
Hours before the Delhi suicide blast, Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered nearly 3,000 kg of explosives from two houses in Faridabad, Haryana, registered to Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganale.
Materials seized included 350 kg of ammonium nitrate, a fertiliser that can be used to make powerful explosives. Items related to explosive devices, such as detonators and timers, were also found.
Meanwhile, Dr Saeed was arrested after police recovered an assault rifle and ammunition from her car. Investigators allege she was involved in establishing a women's wing of the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.
