A sessions court in Cuttack has acquitted Abdur Rehman of Paschimakachha under Jagatpur police limits due to lack of evidence in an alleged terror link case dating back to 2015.

Rehman had been arrested by the Crime Branch in connection with suspected links to terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda. The case had created major concern across Odisha at the time of his arrest.

Arrested From Jagatpur Area in 2015

According to reports, Delhi Police Special Cell had stated in an FIR in 2015 that Al-Qaeda was attempting to expand its network in India.

With assistance from the Commissionerate Police, Delhi Police arrested Abdur Rehman on December 16, 2015, from Paschimakachha under Jagatpur police station in Cuttack district.

Following his arrest, Rehman was taken to Delhi, where police teams from Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states reportedly questioned him to gather information regarding suspected terror activities.

Crime Branch Investigated Odisha Links

Investigators alleged that Rehman had opened a madrasa in the Bilaterua area under Tangi police station limits, where children from Jharkhand and Bihar were being brought for education.

The Odisha Crime Branch had taken him on remand for 17 days in two phases to investigate possible Odisha links in the case.

Charges Filed Under UAPA and IPC

The Crime Branch had earlier filed a chargesheet against Rehman in the Salepur Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.

The charges included Sections 16, 17, 18, 18-B, 20, 21, 38 and 40 of the UAPA, along with Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code related to sedition.

As the charges were triable by a sessions court, the case was later transferred from the Salepur JMFC court to the Cuttack District and Sessions Court for hearing.

Court Acquits Due to Lack of Evidence

After hearing the matter, the Cuttack Sessions Court acquitted Abdur Rehman, citing lack of sufficient evidence against him.

The verdict has once again brought attention to one of Odisha’s most high-profile terror-related investigations from the past decade.