No DNA tests conducted: Jundal’s mother

Suspected terror operative’s mother says photo released may not be of her son; relatives call for DNA tests to ascertain identity of arrested man

PUNE: Mother of suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Abu Jundal, on Thursday, claimed her son was being falsely implicated as a terrorist and called for a “proper investigation” into the case.
In her first public appearance four days after reports of her son’s arrest, 65-year-old Rehana Begum said her son “cannot do anything wrong in life”. “My son is a religious person. He cannot do anything wrong,” Begum said.
She denied reports that her family was subjected to DNA tests, thereby questioning investigators’ claims to the terror suspect’s identity. “It is absolutely wrong if the police are saying this. No DNA samples were ever collected,” Begum said. She even rejected the possibility that police may have collected blood or other samples of the family without their knowledge. Mukram Khan Pathan, Rehana’s relative who accompanied her to the press conference, also demanded that “DNA tests be conducted on her family and Jundal to ascertain his identity.”
When asked about Jundal’s latest photograph released by security agencies, Begum said she did not believe that the photograph was that of her son. However, she expressed her desire to meet “her son”, if the police permitted.
Syed Zabiuddin Sayyad Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, who was deported to India by Saudi authorities, has been accused of being a handler for 10 gunmen who launched a terror attack on Mumbai in November 2008. Besides ferrying explosives in 2006 in Marathwada, Jundal has also been accused of training the German Bakery blast accused Himayat Baig in 2008.

After reports of Jundal’s arrests were released, Begum and her family temporarily moved to her brother’s house in the neighbourhood in Hatti Khana of Beed district.
The 65-year-old woman said the family has had a tough time over the past few days.
“After the media started reporting about my son, our relatives distanced themselves from us. [My son and I] last met in 2006.”
Begum denied reports that her son sent Rs50 lakh to the family during his stay in Pakistan.
She said she was confident her son was innocent. “But if he is guilty, he should be punished,” Begum said.