Wednesday, February 16 2005 10:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Police yesterday (Feb 15, 2005) again questioned S A R Geelani, acquitted in the Parliament attack case, to draw up a clearer picture of the assailant and events leading upto the assault.

A team of Delhi Police Crime Branch talked to the Delhi University lecturer yesterday evening at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where he is recuperating from bullet wounds sustained in an attack last Tuesday night (Feb 8, 2005) outside the house of his lawyer Nandita Haksar in Vasant Enclave area.

Investigators wanted some "clarifications" about the looks of Geelani's attacker and events before he was attacked, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ranjit Narayan said.

The police team took an artist along to prepare the sketch of the attacker on the basis of a description provided by Geelani.

In his yesterday's statement, whose "crux" was released by Haksar to the media, Geelani had said he was attacked by a lone man who had shot several rounds from a pistol or revolver at him.

Geelani described the man as being of medium height and wheatish complexion with trimmed hair and wearing pant and shirt. He was unshaven and not wearing spectacles, according to Geelani.

However, a police official said yesterday's statement by Geelani was "not very helpful".

Geelani had also pointed an accusing finger at the police, saying, "The only people who seem to be determined to harm me are the police in the Special Cell of Delhi Police."

Investigators are also hoping to receive "in a day or two" the report of a two-member medical panel set up to investigate Geelani's wounds, police sources added.

Three bullets are believed to be still lodged inside Geelani's body and the doctors' report will help the work of investigators, who have not got too many vital leads till now.

Geelani's computer and blood-stained sweater, seized from his residence, have been sent to a forensic laboratory in Gujarat and the results of tests on them are likely to take some time to come, the sources said.

After the attack, the Supreme Court had given one week's time to the Delhi Police to file a status report but extended it by another week yesterday.

Meanwhile, an association of teachers have filed an application before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) alleging that police were treating Geelani himself as a "suspect" in the case.

The Delhi University Teachers in defence of S A R Geelani also alleged in the petition that there was a "sinister attempt" to target Haksar and Geelani's family was being harassed by police.