2024 Sambhal violence | Mosque panel head held; was to appear before judicial panel: brother

However, Zafar Ali’s brother Tahir alleged that Zafar was arrested to prevent him from appearing before the judicial commission set up to investigate the violence in which four people were killed.

Ahead of the arrest, personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) were deployed in strength around the mosque and near Zafar’s residence. The house is just 100 metres from the mosque in Sambhal town.

Zafar had previously been detained by police on November 25, 2024, a day after the violence outside the mosque, but was released after questioning. The 16th-century mosque has been at the centre of tensions after a petition claimed that it was the site of an ancient Hindu temple.

According to the SP, Zafar had allegedly informed “miscreants” about the survey team’s visits to the mosque on November 19 and 24, leading to protests.

Ali was also picked up by the police on November 25, a day after the violence, but he was released after being interrogated that day. (File Photo/Gajendra Yadav)

The survey team left without completing the survey on November 19 due to the protest. “On November 24, Zafar Ali remained inside the mosque with the survey team, but his information allegedly led to a large crowd gathering and engaging in violence,” an officer said.

The SP said Zafar was booked in the same case in which the Samajwadi Party’s Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq is accused of instigating protesters ahead of the violence. In January, the Allahabad High Court rejected Barq’s plea to quash the FIR against him.

Sambhal Additional SP Shirish Chand said Zafar has been on the police’s radar since the day of the violence. “He was on the radar of the Sambhal police since November 24 and that was why we picked him up for interrogation last year. Due to a lack of proper evidence, we had to release him, and since then, we have been gathering more evidence. Today, he has been arrested,” Chand said.

However, Tahir said Zafar had been summoned by the judicial commission and was set to appear before them on Monday. He alleged that Zafar’s arrest on Sunday was aimed at preventing him from appearing before the commission the next day.

“Two policemen came to our residence around 11.30 am today. They said that fresh statements of Zafar Ali have to be recorded regarding the violence, and they took him to the local Kotwali police station,” Tahir said.

Tahir also said his brother would not backtrack from his earlier allegation that the four deaths in the November 24 violence were “caused in police firing”.

Four people died and several others, including policemen, were injured during the violence outside the mosque on November 24.

So far, 79 people, including three women, have been arrested. Since their arrests, a total of 130 bail applications have been moved on their behalf at Chandausi court in Sambhal, but no one has been granted bail.

Zafar is the first member of the mosque committee to be arrested in connection with the violence.

PTI adds: Later in the day, the Chandausi court rejected Zafar’s bail plea and sent him to Moradabad jail on two-day remand.

A case has been registered against Zafar under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 191(2) and 191(3) (rioting), 190 (every member of an unlawful assembly is guilty of offence committed in pursuit of common object), 221 (obstructing public servant), 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), 196 (promoting enmity between different groups), 230 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence) and 231 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment).

He was also booked under provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

When he was being taken for medical examination to a Chandausi hospital, Zafar told reporters, “I did not instigate any riot. I have been falsely implicated.” His lawyer, Amir Hussain, said he would apply for bail in the court of the district judge on Monday.