The defence lawyer of Kalyan youth Areeb Majeed, who is facing charges for allegedly joining the ISIS, on Monday said while arguing his bail plea in a special NIA court in Mumbai that the sessions court had extended his custodial detention earlier without having the powers to do so. The prosecution pointed out that the issue was not raised when the extension of custody was being granted. Majeed is suspected of having joined the Islamic State in Syria along with three others from Kalyan near Mumbai. The defence counsel argued that on February 25, a sessions court, though it did not have the special powers to hear such cases, decided on the investigating agency’s application for extension of custody. Areeb’s counsel said that the NIA had sought extension of Majeed’s detention to carry out further investigation. The defence counsel further said that the NIA had also sought Majeed’s judicial remand. [related-post] “Extension (of custody) was granted by another court, which is not a special court,” said Majeed’s lawyer on Monday. He said only a special court, in the present case the special NIA court, had the powers to decide on extension of custody. The prosecution, however, informed the special court that on February 24 when the matter had come up for arguments, the special NIA court was not in session. Therefore, the prosecution said the matter was heard by a sessions court. “The accused did not raise the jurisdiction issue in the other court. There was an administrative order due to which the other court heard the case,” the prosecution told the special court and argued that the sessions court had the powers to extend detention. Areeb, a student at a Panvel college allegedly joined ISIS along with three friends last May.
