'I am happy my child is free'

MUMBAI: Family members of the accused in the Adnan Patrawala murder case heaved a sigh of relief on Monday as the sessions court acquitted the four men.
Drummer Ayush Bhat's 70-year-old maternal grandmother could not stop expressing her joy. "I live in Nagpur but I have attended almost every court hearing. I am so happy that my child will be free now," she said while distributing sweets.After hugging his younger brother Yash repeatedly, Ayush Bhat expressed relief. When asked if he would seek compensation, he said, "I have got my freedom and liberty. That's all that matters to me right now."
Bhat said that his experience in jail has taught him a big lesson in life. A second year commerce student at the time of his arrest, Bhat aims to complete his graduation. "I tried to finish it while in jail but couldn't do so. I also want to pursue music and compose songs," he said. "Percussions" was Bhat's favourite game in the gaming centre at Inorbit mall where he used to "bump into" the other accused and Adnan.
Asked if he ever tried to get in touch with the Patrawala family to give them his side of the story, Bhat said, "I wanted to talk to them but I was advised not to."
Standing away from the emotional families was the oldest accused Sujit Nair. Nair said he has not got any visitors ever since the ordeal began. "Nobody from my family has come to see me. My mother is 75 years old and my brothers are busy with their lives. Although I spoke to them over the phone, when allowed by the court, it has been my lone battle."
Originally a native of Kerala, Nair said he had no reason to commit the crime. "I was earning an average of Rs 65,000 per month and was not poor as everyone made me out to be." On asked if his experience in the city made him bitter, he said, "Mumbai as a city has treated me well, but not the police here. We were tortured and forced to confess a crime we had not committed. Some seven attempts were made to kill us while we were in jail. We lived inside the jail in hostile conditions." Nair said that as soon as he is released from jail he is going to hop on a train and travel. "I haven't seen anything in the last four and a half years. I just want to travel."