11 February 2005	Friday	01 Muharram 1426

NEW DELHI, Feb 10: Kashmiri teacher Syed Abdul Rehman Geelani, who was shot by unidentified assailants on Tuesday night, is recovering even as his defence lawyers and human rights groups accused the Delhi police of seeking to eliminate him.

Mr Geelani and three others were sentenced to death as alleged conspirators in the attack on the Indian parliament on December 13, 2001. The Delhi High Court later acquitted him, but the police have pleaded against the verdict at the Supreme Court.

At the beginning of the hearing of the case pending in the Supreme Court for more than a year, the counsel for Mr Geelani, senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani, said the Delhi University lecturer had Expressed apprehensions about threats to his life from the Delhi police as far back as March 2004.

"The prophecy of the person almost came true as he is battling for his life after a murderous attack last night," Mr Jethmalani told the Supreme Court on Wednesday, urging the judges to hand over the the case to the federal police.

The Delhi police have denied any involvement in the attack, but on Wednesday the lawyers and human rights groups were more vocal.

"It was pre-planned and something which was likely to happen, because the police and the Intelligence Bureau have been following him for some time now," claimed Ms Kamini Jaiswal, another lawyer for Mr Geelani.

"I think the Special Branch (of Delhi Police) - they are the ones who framed him - because at 5:00 pm, I called (Mr Geelani) to come and meet me and at 8:30 a man is ready to shoot him. Obviously, whoever else knew about this must have been someone who has been monitoring my phone," added Ms Nandita Haksar, another lawyer.

"Certain sections of the media have been quoting Nandita Haksar as blaming the police for the attack. This is absolutely baseless and a figment of her imagination," said Ranjeet Narain, Joint Commissioner Crime, Delhi police.

The police have recovered five cartridges from the spot, but have not ascertained how many guns or how many attackers were involved. The police say they have formed several teams to investigate. Mr Geelani was described as conscious and stable on Wednesday.