Red Fort blast: Woman doctor's brother in disbelief, ex-husband says she never wore burqa

Lucknow: Expressing disbelief over his sister's alleged link with terrorist activities, the elder brother of arrested doctor Shaheen Sayeed on Wednesday said his family was still struggling to accept that she could have been involved in anything unlawful.

Her former husband recalled that she never wore burqa during their life together, was a loving mother to their children, and wanted to move abroad for want of a better life.

Speaking to PTI Videos in Lucknow two days after the blast near Delhi's Red Fort that killed 12 people and left around 20 injured, Shaheen's brother Mohammad Shoaib said police and Anti-Terrorism Squad officials have visited their home but treated the family with respect.

"They searched the house and asked questions normally, the same way you are asking me now," Shoaib said, "Neither my father nor I were treated harshly. There was no pressure or force used to make us say anything. They only asked about when my sister stopped visiting us."

Shoaib said his sister and he were not in touch for the last four years. "We have had no contact. It's been four years since we last spoke," he said, adding that his parents nevertheless checked on her occasionally.

"Parents will naturally call their children to ask how they are doing. I am her elder brother, of course, I would also worry about her. Isn't that normal?" he said.

When asked if he had ever visited her residence near IIM Road in Lucknow, Shoaib answered in the negative. "No, I have never gone there. I only knew that she has a house somewhere along the IIM Road. I don't even know the exact location," he said.

Shoaib denied having any suspicion about her activities. "Even when she was studying medicine, there was never any sign of her being involved in anything suspicious. I still don't believe these allegations. As I have said before, I simply cannot believe it," he said.

Meanwhile, Shaheen's former husband Dr Zafar Hayat told PTI Videos in Kanpur on Wednesday that he learnt about her involvement in the case only last evening.

Hayat said he and Shaheen were married in November 2003 and both pursued medical studies separately, with him being her senior. "Our divorce took place towards the end of 2012. I am not sure what was on her mind that led to it. There was never any dispute or quarrel between us. She was a loving and caring person," he said.

He added that there has been no contact between them since the divorce. "I never had any inkling that she could be involved in such activities. She was deeply attached to her family and children, loved them immensely and took care of their studies," Hayat said.

Recalling their marriage, he said Shaheen never wore a burqa except during the wedding rituals. "I had never seen her in a burqa. I have no idea about her alleged involvement in any terror activities now being reported. Our divorce happened long ago, in 2012, and if she got involved in something later, I know nothing about it," he said, adding that he came to know only recently that she was in India.

Separately, Hayat told reporters that during their marriage she never showed any signs of inclination towards terrorist activities. He added that once they had a discussion in which she suggested that they settle in Australia or Europe for better salary and quality of life.

"But I told her we already live a good life here, have good jobs and kids. We have our relatives and everyone here, we would feel alone there," the ophthalmologist told reporters.

According to investigators, Shaheen Shahid, a doctor associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad, was among those arrested following Monday's explosion near the Red Fort. Police suspect she was linked to Dr Muzammil Ganaie, another faculty member at the same university, who is alleged to have been part of a "white-collar terror module" with ties to proscribed outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

Authorities said the module, spread across Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, was uncovered after the recovery of 2,900 kilograms of explosives and the arrest of eight people, including three doctors from Al-Falah University. Investigators have claimed that Shaheen was heading Jaish-e-Mohammed's women's recruitment wing, Jamaat-ul-Mominat, in India.

On Tuesday, her father Syed Ahmad Ansari told reporters that he was "shocked" to hear of her alleged involvement. "I last spoke to Shaheen about a month ago. I have never heard her mention Dr Muzammil or anyone involved in such activities," he said, adding that his daughter had completed her medical studies in Allahabad (now Prayagraj).

The investigation into the Red Fort blast, which police say was caused by a high-intensity explosive device planted in a car, is being probed by the National Investigation Agency.

Police in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with their specialist units, are also investigating the multi-state module.