A Mumbai special court has handed the Anti-Terrorism Squad a three-day victory by extending engineering student Ayan Yusuf Sheikh’s police remand in a UAPA probe, brushing aside defense remonstrations. The order ensures completion of vital formalities in this sensitive investigation.
In court today, Sheikh’s counsel—Ibrahim Harbat, Salauddin, and Inama Sheikh—delivered a forceful opposition, decrying the move as unconstitutional overreach that undermines basic freedoms. The ATS, undeterred, limited its ask to panchnama proceedings, portraying it as the final hurdle in immediate evidence gathering.
The bench accepted the agency’s rationale, setting March 16 for subsequent proceedings. Already subjected to prior custodies, Sheikh remains at the center of ATS’s persistent UAPA scrutiny. Prosecution argues these steps are non-negotiable for airtight case-building, while defenders highlight risks to the accused’s rights.
This extension spotlights perennial clashes in terror cases: enforcement’s quest for thoroughness versus protections for the detained. With time ticking, the ATS aims to seal procedural gaps, potentially unveiling deeper insights into the allegations. Stakeholders await March 16, when the case’s next chapter will commence.