Two of Baig’s closest friends — Rehan Sheikh and Mohammad Ansari — told the court that Baig subscribed to the ideology of terror. When a journalist spoke to them, they said they were forced by the ATS into lying before the court.
Rehan Shaikh, who stayed with Baig for many years at the Udgir Masjid and was his closest friend, appeared in the court as a prosecution witness and gave a five-hour testimony that later became a strong ground for Baig’s conviction.
When the reporters met Rehan in Aurangabad this is what he had to say:
Journo: What happened when you were taken to Mumbai ATS office?
Rehan: They made me sit on a chair. They removed my clothes. Put two plugs on my ear. Put a black patti on my eye and both hands were tied to the chair. Then administered electric shocks.
Journo: Was your statement taken?
Rehan: No statements were taken. They gave me a paper and said to read what was written. Then my uncle struck a deal in Pune.
Journo: Your uncle?
Rehan: Yes, he made the deal. They asked for `3 lakh.
Journo: Who?
Rehan: Satav, a cop, he was with the ATS. Now he’s an in-charge somewhere in Shivaji Nagar.
Journo: Vinod Satav?
Rehan: Yes, ACP. Finally, the deal was settled for one-and-a half-lakh rupees.
Journo: So what did they say?
Rehan: They said, you have to say this. And if I don’t say this then? Then what, you’ll also be put inside. Then I said it doesn’t matter. They produced me before a magistrate. Magistrate said ‘Say what you want to say’. I said — nothing sir. Baig was my friend. We lived together. I had given him the ATM because he was my friend and had been searching for jobs here and there. You gave your ATM card to him? That’s all I said and then returned. The judge did not write anything. Then Kadam from ATS put his hand on my neck and shoved me. ‘He’s a kid, must’ve gotten scared,’ he told the magistrate. Then magistrate handed me a paper, and said read this out, and don’t talk too much.
Journo: The magistrate said this?
Rehan: The magistrate said this. Yes. Take this paper, and just read this out…
Journo: You also spoke against Himayat in the trial court?
Rehan: I also spoke in the court. Then what happened is that I have this brother-in-law. He’s a little eccentric. And the thing is that my father was taking care of him. They picked him up and took him to the police station.
Journo: Who did?
Rehan: ATS did.
Journo: They took him away before you were about to give your statement in the court?
Rehan: They took him away, made him sit. They’d called him earlier…
Journo: How did you know that he had been taken away by the ATS?
Rehan: They made him speak to him on the phone, he is still very scared. Even today.
Journo: You mean you had given false statement in court?
Rehan: Yes.
Journo: What did the judge do?
Rehan: Abdur Rehman sahib was there. The lawyer was sitting there. They just pushed the paper ahead. The judge kept the statement paper. ATS people were sitting in front. Moving around as if it was their house. One was hovering around me, opening drawers and checking. He was also from ATS. As if it was a joke, a joke…I met them before going to the court.
Journo: Who met?
Rehan: We were there three days.
Journo: So you were with the ATS for three days before going to the court?
Rehan: Three days. Full. We were in some hotel. We were staying with ATS for three days in Pune.
Journo: What did ATS do during these three days?
Rehan: ATS used to ask me to memorise the statement.
Journo: They made you learn it by rote?
Rehan: Everything that was in the statement against Himayat Baig. It was written that Baig would often talk of jihad and talk about the cruelty against Muslims. About Gujarat and Babri Masjid, etc.
Journo: And did Himayat ever say all this to you?
Rehan: No.
Journo: So all this was bogus? Who made you learn all this?
Rehan: These ATS people never disclosed their names. And the typewriters there (in the court) and the people who were writing there, I saw them visit the ATS office two or three times.
Journo: Do you not regret for your false statement?
Rehan: Yes, I do. From that day to this day, Allah is witness. I have not slept peacefully since that day. Allah is witness. Sometimes I feel Himayat comes in my dream, with his bag, and spreads his arms out and says, ‘Gurudev, see I have come, didn’t I tell you?’ (At this point he breaks down).
The journalist managed to meet up with Mohammad Ansari, another key prosecution witness, in Mumbai. He had testified in the court that Baig had terror leanings. His testimony, like Rehan’s, was crucial in getting Baig convicted.
This is what Ansari told the journalist.
Ansari: I am constantly reading the newspaper. I can’t believe it after reading that it’s him (on the news of Baig’s conviction). I’ve read it 3-4 times. What is this happening. Somewhere down the line I was blaming myself. After this happened, his sentencing, after his sentencing I am blaming myself that I testified against him. It’s simple, the conscience of a man, you understand, however evil one is from inside one feels sick with himself.
Journo: So when the ATS took you, they said boss this is what you have to say? Did they write something and say you have to say exactly this?
Ansari: No they didn’t give it in written, they told me. An entire story was told. Say this.
Report: Say this.
Ansari: Yes, say this.
Journo: You didn’t say?
Ansari: (Nods)
Journo: This was said in front of the magistrate?
Ansari: Yes in front of the magistrate.
Journo: So how did you feel after returning home?
Ansari: I was not myself 100 per cent. I was not able to understand what was happening. I was blowing with the wind. Like there is a story, right. There is a director who creates a story; the characters have to do what the director says. They can’t do anything by themselves. It was going exactly like that. Whichever side they were telling to turn we were turning. Whenever they would say stop we would stop. Couldn’t do anything also. What would we do, tell me. Didn’t trust anyone either, if we went somewhere and said something then it would have caused more problem only, there was no option. I knew this much. But there is one thing I don’t understand; it’s (ATS) such a big department, as in such a valued one. They do anything, like anything. There has to be something, at least something. They’ll make a story and do something. It’s not a TV serial, well, (where one can just) make a story. What is this? And that happened also. It seemed fake. Is there anybody above them, any authority? Whatever they say is happening. That is not done.
Journo: So the story that you were told to say, exactly what were you told to say?
Ansari: His mind is like this, whatever is happening, whatever, it’s the Muslims. Do something against them. The Muslims are doing something bad. What should we do, we should do something.