Judicial harassment of lawyer Bilal Kagzi
India
Lawyers for Lawyers was informed about the judicial harassment faced by Indian human rights lawyer Mohammad Bilal Gulam Rasul Kagzi in the past months.
Mr. Bilal Kagzi is a lawyer who has been working in the Adivasi area, taking up many human rights cases over the last decades. He represents victims of custodial torture and police atrocities, amongst others at the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission and Police Compliant Authority. Furthermore, he regularly works on cases of malpractice and corruption and is engaged with issues of Adivasi rights. On 29 May 2020 a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against him, accusing him of firing a gun.
Reportedly, there is CCTV camera footage which proves that mr. Kagzi had not left his home when the reported incident occurred.Mr. Bilal Kagzi has approached the Gujarat High Court to revoke the FIR, but according to our information it was recently decided that no relief is to be provided and there is no further case hearing.
It has been reported that this is the third FIR the Kosamba Police has filed against mr. Bilal Kagzi in the past nine months. Mr. Bilal Kagzi has been staying away from his home for fear of being arrested and mistreated by the Kosamba Police.