Hyderabad, January 17
Abdul Kaleem, a young prisoner whose innocence is believed to have inspired Hindutva hardliner Swami Aseemanand to confess to his involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast, was granted bail by a city court today.

Kaleem, who was first held in connection with the twin blasts in Hyderabad in 2007 and again on the charge of supplying a mobile phone to his brother and a terror accused, walked a free man following a local criminal court granting him bail.

“I feel relieved today. No innocent should suffer because of a false case,” 22-year-old Kaleem said. He was arrested along with several Muslim youth after the May, 2007, blast at the historic Mecca Masjid here which claimed nine lives.

Kaleem had to languish in jail for over 18 months before being acquitted along with others arrested in connection with the case. However, he was arrested again when he went to meet his brother Abdul Khaja, a terror suspect lodged in the Chanchalguda jail. Kaleem was accused of passing on a mobile phone to his brother.

It was at Chanchalguda central prison here that Kaleem came in contact with Aseemanand, an accused in the blast case who was brought to Hyderabad following his arrest at Haridwar in November, 2010.

The good conduct of Kaleem apparently prompted Aseemanand to make confession. “During my stay in the jail, Kaleem helped me a lot. I was moved by his good conduct and conscience asked me to do atonement by making a confessional statement,” Aseemanand had reportedly told his interrogators.