Former Delhi University professor SAR Geelani, who was arrested and later acquitted by the Supreme Court in connection with the Parliament attack case, died in New Delhi on Thursday, 24 October following a cardiac arrest, his family said.
“He passed away on Thursday evening due to cardiac arrest,” a family member confirmed.
Geelani, who used to teach Arabic at Delhi University’s Zakir Hussain College, is survived by his wife and two daughters.
He was also charged with sedition in 2016, after he had organised an event against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, days after a similar event at JNU had sparked controversy over alleged anti-national slogans that led to the arrest of student leaders.
Geelani’s conviction in parliament attack case led to a massive legal and civic campaign. Geelani was tortured in police custody and was branded as guilty by the media. His wife and children were illegally detained. After a relentless battle fought by his legal team, the Delhi High Court set aside his conviction and acquitted Geelani on all charges — the court found there was “no evidence to the effect that Geelani was maintaining personal or telephonic contacts with any of the deceased ‘terrorists’. There is no evidence of any participative acts in connection with or in pursuance of the conspiracy.
DU Professor SAR Geelani who not only survived the false cases and custodial torture by Indian state but also fought for thousands of others who are being labelled as ‘terrorists’ and thrown in prisons. Rest in peace, sir. You have inspired all of us to fight for justice, student leader Kawalpreet Kaur tweeted.
