Framed as a Terrorist My 14-Year Struggle to Prove My Innocence

by Speaking Tigher

Framed As a Terrorist is the harrowing and heart-rending narrative of an ordinary young Indian man, from the by-lanes of Old Delhi, who was kidnapped by the police, falsely accused of being a terrorist, framed and kept in jail for almost fourteen years.

Released after a long and incredibly difficult legal battle, after surviving torture and solitary confinement, Mohammad Aamir Khan remains committed to the secular and democratic values that he grew up with. He refuses to be defeated, or to give up any of the dreams he has for himself, his family and the country that nearly destroyed him.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

248 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Sameer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this harrowing account, Aamir tells us how he was brutally tortured, maimed to extract a confession out of himself; how he fought a legal battle from jail for 14 long years to prove his innocence. It took only 2-3 months for the police to frame charges against Aamir and to create false witnesses. But, it took his entire youth to prove otherwise.

Mind you, this is not a one-off event. Aamir may be lucky enough to have acquitted (even it is after 14 years). But, there are hundreds of youth who are arrested at the whims of the police: who come from poor background, waiting endlessly for elusive justice. This could be a story of you, me or anyone whose name manifests their religious identity.

Nandita Haksar, a tireless human rights activist did a good job in bringing out the story of Aamir.

[Sachin Garg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aamir's account of his life is as hard hitting as a book can get.
It doesn't get more authentic than this.

[Sirisha Behara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed the way I view at evry person to some extent. Someone rightly said- "respect every person for u never know what battle he is fighting "

[Shabasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not recommended for the blind blood thirsty right wing nationalists, whose nationalism will eruct only if a "muslim villain" is in the other end. Highly recommend for those people who keep objectivity on every thing no matter what the so called mainstream and media tells you about the state vs terrorism discourse.

Amir's is not an exceptional case there is still 100s of youth suffering the false flag and fabrication of investigation agencies and bias by judiciary and media. Serving decades as "under trial" in jails without even drop of proof and will be released one fine morning saying "acquited because of no proof". Who will give them back the lost years?Lost freedom? The phyisical and mental abuse they and their family went through?

In our country no one is objectively studying the police narrative on muslim terrorism,naxal and north eastern insurgency. In india the so called mainstream media also mimic the state version for keeping the "national interest". I dont think things are gonna change , where the hate mongering nationalism is shooting up day by day. Still any youth can be fabricated like this. But at least , I am happy that lot of people irrespective of caste/religion objectively read this and shared their thoughts.

[Sainath Sunil · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard to pick up a book like this when you know that as you flip through each page, you are flipping through a man's life in weeks turning into months and into years of never ending quest for justice which is often elusive but keeps offering tantalising chances at redeeming itself. This book is the story of a young muslim, Mohd Aamir who was kidnapped, tortured, slapped with 19 cases of bombing and was acquitted of all charges by the courts after 14 years during which his parents aged and died, but he never lost hope. A book that hovers between the nadirs of hopelessness when Aamir wonders why he was picked up, tortured by the police/IB, how and why the evidence was fabricated and how the police officers who did this went scot-free.

This book is a testimony to his belief in the justice system and how Mohd Aamir never gave up believing that one day he would go free. Today he offers his help to all those who are wrongfully accused of crimes they never committed.

[Devika Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aamir's account of his 14-year jail term after being wrongly accused of terrorism and other charges is gripping.

[Sanket Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Framed As A Terrorist: My 14-Years Struggle to Prove My Innocence" is a heart wrenching book by Mohammad Aamir Khan written with noted human rights activist Nandita Haskar. The book was published in 2016, making this review a little late in day, yet I share this book review with you because 'Framed As A Terrorist....' is not only a personal account of immense struggle, pain and survival, but it is a profound and eye-opening commentary on working of Indian criminal justice system and Indian judiciary.

“It seems that under the Indian criminal justice system it is easier to prove an innocent man guilty than for an innocent man to prove his innocence.”

This is a heart wrenching story of Mohammad Aamir Khan which is authored by him along with Nandita Haskar, a tireless human rights activist.

There are a few books, whose review goes beyond the scope of words, paragraphs, grammatical errors, clarity etc.; and this book “Framed as a Terrorist” is one of those books. It is quite exhausting to pick up a book like this when you know that as you flip through each page, you are actually flipping through a man's life in weeks turning into months and into years of never ending pursuit for justice which is often evasive but keeps offering opportunities at redeeming itself. This book was recommended to me by one of my mentors and I must say that reading this book was an absolute delight. To be honest, I literally had goosebumps while reading this book as I literally felt the pain of the author and his suffering to get justice. This book pulls the readers into a web of emotions, injustice, faith and the dark side of our criminal legal system and police terror investigations.

This book is not recommended for the blind right wing nationalists, whose nationalism rises only when a “Muslim” is to be made a villain. However this book is highly recommended for those people who keep objectivity into perspective no matter what the media houses portrays about state vs terrorism discourse. I also recommend this book for all law students as the story of Aamir presents various human consequences of working of our criminal legal system. This book portrays an account on how our criminal justice system can play havoc with life of an individual. This story speaks for thousands out there, a story of bias, extrajudicial custody, wrongful prosecution and limited means to get justice.

“Framed as a Terrorist” is an engaging and a very deeply pressing book which every Indian must read. This is the story of a young kid who was abducted by police in the late evening, tortured for days under extrajudicial custody, made to sign blank sheets, falsely implicated for around 19 terror cases, accused of being a terrorist, framed and locked up in jail for fourteen long years. Aamir was ultimately found innocent and was awarded a compensation of Rs. 5 Lakhs for wrongful prosecution.

This book relates to the stories of thousands of Muslim men who are framed and then are thrown behind iron bars to rot, while the police officers who are supposed to deliver justice frame them and get rewarded and awarded. Amir in his book exposes the very harsh reality of the unwritten code for terrorist activity investigations which till date goes unquestioned and widely practiced.

Late Justice Anand Narain Mulla of the Allahabad High Court famously observed that ‘There is not a single lawless group in the whole of the country whose record of crime comes anywhere near the record of that single organized unit which is known as the Indian Police Force.’

I, in my law school have studied rights of the prisoners but Aamir in his book tells us about the operational reality of the said rights. Prisoners are entitled to rights like - right to live with dignity, no solitary confinement, right to read newspapers, right to access library and various other basic rights. However, Aamir’s story indicates that bribery, sexual abuse and solitary confinement are quite frequent in prisons which makes the guaranteed rights under Constitution of India a mere paperweight.

He also writes his account of torture during his tenure in prison. He claimed it to be a normalized and regular practice which involved Roller, Lakshman Jhoola, electric wires, use of bright lights, burning with cigarette butt, blindfolding to torture him both physically and mentally.

Aamir also describes the different challenges that disadvantaged groups have to face to get justice. He highlights how harassment of family members, struggle in understanding and comprehending the legal language and other legal procedures, unaffordable lawyers, custodial torture, witness tampering etc. were a major failure in our criminal legal system.

After reading this book, one could develop a better understanding on the following questions related to wrongful prosecution:

1. Who are the people wrongfully targeted?
2. What are institutional reasons for the same?
3. Why the people, who targeted are, are the ones who are targeted?
4. And, are the damages that are awarded to them sufficient for what they’ve been through?

While Aamir still has faith in the Constitution of India and its democratic and secular values, but the question is what institutional responses can be developed to ensure equal justice and fair trial is the question the book leaves us with. The book costs merely around 200 bucks but the range of emotions felt by the readers will be priceless. Do read.

[Mishika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true portrayal of the condition of minority youth in India.
Procedures being flouted, illegal actions of the police being unaccounted for, the dismal delays in the judicial proceedings - the book is a slap in the face of the justice system.

On some days, it is harder to find pride in being a member of the legal system.

[Aditi Arora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye-opening and extremely moving

[Binit Agrawal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brave life and a book which lays bare how the war on terror in our country is a total failure. In an attempt to get to the perpetrators lives of thousands of young men are being devastated by the forces. Probably not even to get to the real terrorists but just to mete out their own personal frustrations and to get promotions. But Mr. Khan makes no judgements. He doesn't judge the police who tormented police, the judiciary who kept him hanging for years, the friends-relatives who leave the family in bad times or even the journalists and politicians seeking to gain from his story later on.
Mr. Khan just tells his experiences and the facts. Thats the best part of the book.
There is a need for more such people like him to be able to write their stories, tell the country and its people their stories, instead of handful of journalists shouting on news channels, stories like these will tell the people what the police is doing and what is being done in the name of curbing terrorism on. Only when humanitarian ethos of people are evoked can the country be sewn together with compassion for each other (and Indians are pretty easy to be moved on these grounds).

[Aamir Anjum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aamir's story is another story of a wrongful conviction of a young Muslim man of LIMITED means. The book gives details about the events that led to his arrest and glimpses of what all did he had to endure as he was tortured with innovative techniques.

This is my third book, in a series of books that I have been reading about the abuse of power by police, wrongful convictions, and the judiciary, which resists introspection for various reasons.

Aamir describes Pakistan, Delhi 6, and the first writer in my life, who took me on a ride to Pakistan, on samjauta express. There is humor in odd places, while his trial is in progress, his mind takes him and us to Amitabh Bachhan in a court. It's funny and extremely sad to read, about the lack of control a man can have, reducing him to a mere bystander in his own trial as he languishes in jail
for more than a decade.

I wished that the book was little longer and since its a quick read, there was yearning and a strong reluctance to scroll further (as one approaches the end).

[R U D R A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Framed as a terrorist is a profoundly urgent and necessary book for all Indians, story of a young man who was abducted by the police, tortured for days, falsely accused of being a terrorist, framed and put in jail for fourteen years.
This book is the story several hundreds of Muslim men framed and left to rot behind the iron bars, while the police who frames them gets awards and rewards. Aamir’s book expose the brutality of the unwritten code for terror investigation which is now left unquestioned, and still in practice. This is a story of phenomenal humanity, perseverance and courage in the face of utmost injustice. Aamir’s acquittal strengthens our faith in Indian judiciary, but not most are lucky enough.
Aamir was robbed his most vital years of his life by the system, behind the bars falsely accused by the Delhi police and framed him as a terrorist. This book pulls the readers in to a web of emotions, injustice, faith and the dark side of the terror investigations.
This story is of just one innocent victim of a vicious system. There is an army of wronged Muslim youth and non-Muslim poor who are falsely accused as terrorists, who are perishing in jails for ages without any hope of getting justice.
In India a Muslim accused is always treated as guilty until proven innocent.

Framed as a terrorist may be a profoundly urgent and necessary book for all Indians, story of a young man who was abducted by the police, tortured for days, falsely accused of being a terrorist, framed and put in jail for fourteen years.
This book is that the story of the several Muslim men framed and left to rot behind the iron bars, while the police who frames them gets awards and rewards. Aamir’s book expose the brutality of the unwritten code for terror investigation which is now left unquestioned, and still in practice. This is often a story of phenomenal humanity, perseverance and courage within the face of utmost injustice. Aamir’s acquittal strengthens our faith in Indian judiciary, but not most are lucky enough.
Aamir was robbed his most vital years of his life by the system, behind the bars falsely accused by the Delhi police and framed him as a terrorist. This book pulls the readers in to an internet of emotions, injustice, faith and therefore the dark side of the fear investigations.
This story is of only one innocent victim of a vicious system. there's a military of wronged Muslim youth and non-Muslim poor who are falsely accused as terrorists, who are perishing in jails for ages with none hope of getting justice.
In India a Muslim accused is usually treated as guilty until proven innocent.

[Vishal · Rating 5 out of 5]

செய்யாத குற்றத்திற்காக 14 ஆண்டுகள் சிறையில் கழித்த ஒரு அப்பாவி ஏழை இஸ்லாமிய இளைஞனின் மனக்குமுறல் இப்புத்தகம். 1997 ஆம் ஆண்டு நடைபெற்ற குண்டு வெடிப்பில் குற்றவாளி யார் என்று தெரியாத நிலையில் முஹம்மத் ஆமிர் கான் என்ற 19 வயது இஸ்லாமிய இளைஞனை பயங்கரவாதி என பொய்யாக புனையப்பட்டு அவர் மீது 24 வழக்குகள் போடப்பட்டன. அதை அவர் எப்படி கடந்து வந்தார் மற்றும் இந்தியாவில் இஸ்லாமியர்களைப் பற்றிய பொதுவான பிம்பத்தையும், தான் ஒரு இஸ்லாமியன் என்பதால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட சம்பவத்தையும் அவர் விளக்கமாக கூறியுள்ளார். தன் வாழ்க்கையில் இவ்வளவு அநியாயம் நடந்தும் அவர் இன்னும் இந்திய தேசத்தை நேசிக்கிறார். அவர் மட்டுமல்ல இந்தியாவில் வாழும் எல்லா இஸ்லாமியர்களும் தங்கள் மீது அவதூறு வீசினாலும் தங்களை இந்தியர்கள் என்றே பெருமைப் பட்டுக் கொள்கின்றனர்.

[FAZEEL MOHAMMED · Rating 5 out of 5]

It wet my eyes many times. Many are falsely framed as terrorist since they are Muslims in India and other parts of the world. He lost his good time of youth in jail, subjected to extreme physical and mental torture. Medias celebrate when some is caught in acts of terrorism.But the same news will not have enough coverage when the same person is acquitted, since he is not guilty. Really one of the true accounts of a young man who had to spent 14 years of his youth in jail for a crime he had never committed .There are many people like him still in jail,subjected to tortures, without any legal representation. Aamir khan was lucky, i should say, to get himself out.

[Pooja Rawat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charged with terror, damned with aliases, 14 year long incarceration😰 #FramedAsTerrorist

A victim whose youth was destroyed due to wrongful confinement for 14 years as a terrorist, he lost his parents, his career, his hopes, his dreams and everything. 19 cases on him but he had been acquitted in 17 of them. That makes him feel free. But still two cases on him are pending that ties him to the shackles of fear and injustice done unto him. He has no handcuffs , he is truly free but not entirely free.

I wonder if anything, anything can compensate Aamir for all that he has lost.
An inhumane wretched story!!
Grand salute to you #MohammadAamirKhan

[Inzemamul Haque · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book one can see how people are getting framed in the name of terrorism and how lives of such people are destroyed. They are arrested in their youth and they fight hard and get acquitted when they have passed their young age in prison for nothing.

[Vipin Sirigiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powerful story - terrible narrator!