Jahangirpuri riots: Delhi Court sends 4 accused to 8-day police custody

In the latest development in the Jahangirpuri riots case, a Delhi Court on Saturday sent four accused including 'key conspirator' Ansar to 8 days of police custody remand. The 4 accused-- Ansar, Salim, Dilshad, and Ahir, who have been sent to the police custody, have been charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). The other three accused were sent to judicial custody for 14 days. 

On April 20, the court extended the police custody of Jahangirpuri clashes accused Gulam Rasool alias Gulli, Salim Sheikh alias Salim Chikna, and Ansar by three days. The Crime Branch is looking into the allegations of a 'pre-planned' attack and Ansar is believed to be a 'key conspirator' in the matter. While seeking the remand of main accused Ansar earlier, the Delhi Police had detailed his role to a court stating that his arrival at the spot of the incident had flared up the violence. A three-member team of the Crime Branch had also interrogated his family in West Bengal. 

ED files case against Ansar

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has also filed a money laundering case to investigate the assets of Ansar. Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana in a letter to ED on Friday asked the agency to take action under PMLA against the main accused under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency will now look into the accused’s bank accounts and property details to probe any foreign link in funding the riots, if any. 

It is important to mention that Ansar is a known history-sheeter and has a record of criminal history since 2007. Republic had earlier reported how he had called for a meeting with his close aides on April 10 where a group of 24 people was directed to collect stones on the rooftops of streets where the Hindu procession was planned to take place. 

Jahangirpuri violence

Violence broke out during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area on Saturday, April 16, leaving many police personnel injured. National Security Act (NSA) has been slapped on five accused persons so far after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's call for stringent action. An FIR was filed at the Jahangirpuri Police Station under Sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 307, 323, 332, 353, 427, and 436 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 27 of the Arms Act.