Acquitted in 26/11 case, Fahim Ansari wanted police clearance to drive an auto. Bombay High Court rejected his plea
The Bombay High Court cited the ‘peculiar facts’ of the case and ‘the question of security’ while rejecting Fahim Ansari’s plea for a police clearance certificate.
A calligrapher, Fahim Ansari (left) was accused of having drawn the maps that aided the 26/11 terrorists. He was acquitted of the charges. (File Photo)
Citing a “question of security”, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday rejected a plea by Fahim Arshad Mohammad Yusuf Ansari, who was acquitted in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, seeking a police clearance certificate (PCC) to enable him to work as an auto-rickshaw driver to earn his livelihood.
Ansari, who was acquitted by a special court in 2010, had told the high court that his PCC application was “arbitrarily” denied, stating that he had alleged links to terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He termed the decision to be discriminatory and taken with prejudice.
However, rejecting his plea, a bench of Justices Ajey S Gadkari and Ranjitsinha R Bhonsale held, “Considering the peculiar facts of the present case and keeping in mind the question of security, we are of the opinion that the authorities have rightly refused the police clearance certificate in respect of the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) badge for driving the auto rickshaw commercially to the petitioner. In view thereof, the petition is dismissed.”
A calligrapher who used to work at his brother’s printing unit, Ansari was accused of having drawn the maps which aided the 26/11 terrorists, including Ajmal Kasab, zero in on their targets. He was arrested in December 2008 while already in custody for a separate case in Uttar Pradesh. In May 2010, he was acquitted of charges, including waging war against the country. The trial court had found no substance in allegations that he aided the attack masterminds by making city maps.
The high court upheld the acquittal in 2011, and the Supreme Court dismissed the state’s appeal against it in 2012 and confirmed the acquittal.
After he was released from jail, Ansari said in his plea that he started working at a city printing press, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He then worked briefly as a food delivery executive before joining another printing press. Struggling to make ends meet, he turned to driving an autorickshaw.
The petitioner claimed that he got a three-wheeler driving licence in January 2024 and sought a PCC to obtain a public service vehicle (PSV) badge for legitimate commercial autorickshaw driving. However, his application was denied, leading him to file an RTI query. The response cited his alleged ties to a terrorist group as the reason. Aggrieved, he approached the high court last year.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
Expertise & Authority
Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage.
Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in:
Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include:
Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes).
Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty).
Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict.
Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability.
Legal Interpretation: Reports on public speeches and observations by prominent judicial figures (e.g., former Chief Justice B. R. Gavai) on topics like free speech, gender equality, and institutional challenges.
Omkar Gokhale's consistent, focused reporting on the judiciary establishes him as a definitive and authoritative voice for legal developments originating from Mumbai and impacting the entire state of Maharashtra. ... Read More
