Qureshi is an accused; he will be treated like any other accused: Police

Mangaluru, Apr 17: Issuing a stern warning against those who are allegedly spreading rumours about Ahmed Qureshi's health, Mangaluru city police commissioner M Chandra Sekhaer said that the former will be treated just like any other accused.

The alleged physical torture on Qureshi by CCB police has triggered widespread uproar with his family members holding the cops responsible for the severe damage to his kidneys and injuries across his body.

"Qureshi was an accused in murder attempt on Sudarshan that took place in 2014 in Surathkal. He is also a prime accused in the attack on Prakash Poojary from Jokatte. Hence he will be treated just like any other accused," Mr Chandra Sekhar told media persons on Sunday. The statements of two witnesses are yet to be collected in the case attack on Prakash Poojary, he added.

Stating that the health condition of Qureshi, who was shifted back to Government Wenlock Hospital from the prison following a local court's order, is stable, Mr Chandra Sekhar said that a few miscreants are spreading false rumours on social media that the former continues to be in critical condition.

He exhorted the people not to give credence to “the baseless and ill-intended information” being spread by the mischief mongers especially on WhatsApp groups and Facebook.

Meanwhile, a local television channel in the city has lodged a complaint with the Kadri police against the unidentified miscreants, who used the channel’s logo to create fake scrolling news about the health condition of Qureshi.

“A case has already been registered for spreading false rumours. We will continue to monitor social media and take action against those who try to create tension in the society, Mr Chandra Sekhar said.

Ahmed Qureshi (25), a resident of Katipalla, was produced before the magistrate on March 27 by the CCB police, who claimed that he was arrested on March 26. Qureshi had stated that the injury marks on his body were the result of road accident.

However, later Qureshi had revealed that he was actually picked by the police on March 21 and that he was brutally tortured in the illegal confinement. He also claimed that the police had forced him to give false statement about his injuries by threatening him to implicate him in false case and eliminate him in a fake encounter.