By Mumtaz Alam, Muslim Mirror,
New Delhi, March 27: In the line of fire for continued salary to charge-sheeted in-jail terror accused Col. Purohit, the Defence Ministry has ordered a probe into the termination of junior scientist Aijaz Ahmad Mirza from DRDO even though he was not even charge-sheeted and so he was released on bail.
Muslim Mirror had broken the story about Mirza’s termination on 2nd March. Next day (3rd March) Roznama Sahara published the story giving due credit to Muslim Mirror on front page in all 9 editions across the country. Some English dailies including Indian Express and South Indian newspapers and TV channels including Madhyamam and Media One also published and broadcast the news promptly. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi raised the issue in Lok Sabha on 6th March. Sources told Muslim Mirror that on 9th March, Defence Minister AK Antony ordered a departmental inquiry into the termination of Mirza. According to the sources, Mr. Antony asked Mr. V K Saraswath, Director General of DRDO and Advisor of Defence Minister on Science Affairs to conduct a detailed inquiry about the termination of Aijaz Ahmad Mirza. Inquiry will focus on two things: 1) whether any fault had been done by DRDO, and 2) If yes, who is responsible? Sources said the inquiry has started.
Mirza, Junior Research Fellow at the Defence Ministry’s wing Defence Research & Development Organisation, Bangalore was terminated on 12th February 2013 when he was in jail in connection with the infamous alleged Bangalore terror conspiracy case. He was picked in September 2012 along with dozen odd youths by the Bangalore Police who had claimed these youths were hatching a conspiracy to kill some saffron politicians and journalists. NIA took up the case in November last year. After investigation it filed chargesheet on 21st February this year against only 12 of the 15 arrested youths. NIA did not file any chargesheet against Aijaz Mirza, journalist Mutiur Rahman Siddiqi and Yousuf. All the three have been released from jail.
Mirza had joined DRDO early last year on a two-year JRF contract. DRDO had not got any complaint about Mirza since he joined in January 2012 till he was arrested in September 2012. In the termination letter dated 12th Feb. 2013, DRDO did not offer any reason. After release from jail early this March Mirza had told Muslim Mirror that DRDO was his dream job which he had got after lots of hard work. He said he is innocent, he was implicated in the terror case, and hoped he would get his dream DRDO job back.
