Al-Qaeda man moves court seeking nod to work as doctor in Tihar jail

New Delhi: An alleged Al-Qaeda member who is a doctor and lodged in Tihar jail, moved a Delhi court on Thursday seeking permission to assist the prison authorities to deal with the COVID-19 cases.

In an application before Special Judge Dharmender Rana on Wednesday, the accused — Sabeel Ahmed — submitted that his experience and expertise as a medical professional would be helpful in dealing with the surge in COVID-19 cases and treatment of inmates in the central jail.

Ahmed, member of banned terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS), was arrested on February 22 by the special cell of Delhi Police, for allegedly providing logistic and financial assistance to other members of the organisation in India and abroad.

Ahmed's advocate M S Khan sought a direction to the jail superintendent for allowing the accused to assist the jail administration. It is pertinent to mention herein that accused is a qualified MBBS doctor with seven years of experience in treatment of critical cases.

His experience and expertise being a medical professional would be helpful for dealing with the surge in COVID cases and treatment of inmates in central jail, Tihar, the application said. He is also an accused in suicidal terror attack at Glasgow Airport (United Kingdom) on June 30, 2007.