The Special Cell of Delhi in a recent charge sheet filed on September 16 in relation to the Northeast Delhi riots has alleged that five accused named in the charge sheet had received an amount of Rs 1.61 crore between December 2019 and February 2020 for executing the riots.
Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Councillor Tahir Hussain, Congress leader and former Councillor Ishrat Jahan are among the accused who allegedly received the money. Others named by the police are activist Khalid Saifi, President of Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI) Shifa-Ur-Rehman and Jamia student Meeran Haider.
Ishrat Jahan used some amount for weapons purchase
According to the charge sheet, out of Rs 1.61 crore, Rs 1,48,01,186 was withdrawn as cash and was spent towards the management of the protest sites during the anti-CAA protests and to “execute the conspiracy hatched in riots in Delhi”. Ishrat Jahan is alleged to have received Rs 5.41 lakh in her bank account through online transactions as well as cash deposits on December 10. She allegedly received Rs 4 lakh from a Corporation Bank in Maharashtra which was transferred by the driver of a man named Samir Abdul Sai who is said to be a resident of Maharashtra.
The charge sheet states that Jahan deposited Rs 1,41,000 in her account on January 10, 2020. It was revealed during the investigation that Jahan had spent the money in the management of protest sites and also for purchasing weapons through accused Abdul Khalid. The weapons were allegedly used during the riots. According to police, Jahan’s brother-in-law had taken Rs 4 lakh from her for business purpose but he did not disclose that in his income tax return. He also failed to give a satisfactory answer regarding the use of that money.
Tahir Hussain spent money for mobilising people
Police investigated two bank accounts belonging one each to Tahir Hussain’s company and his brother-in-law and partners. Transactions related to these accounts have also been examined by the police and the persons involved have also been examined. During the investigation, the police found that Hussain converted a certain amount of money into cash. A huge amount of cash was allegedly spent by Hussain in organising the protests, mobilising people for riots and procuring material used in the riots.
Role of AAJMI in the Riots
According to Police, the Jamia Alumni association “played a crucial role through its President Shifa-Ur-Rehman in the protests and riots”. Rehman revealed during the investigation that he has deposited an amount of Rs 50,000 in cash in the account of AAJMI. However, he said that he did not remember the name of the person he deposited the amount through. Rehman admitted to having withdrawn Rs 70,000 from the AAJMI account for spending in the protests.
On the analysis of another bank account belonging to AAJMI by the police, it was revealed that between December 1, 2019, to February 26, 2020, a total amount of Rs 4,41,059 was credited online into the account and a sum of Rs 60,600 was withdrawn. Rehman said that he used this amount for managing the anti-CAA/ anti-NRC protests. Allegedly Rs 7,60,000 worth cash was received in AAJMI account during this period. The charge sheet states that a total amount of Rs 5,55,000 was received from former students working abroad, especially Gulf countries.
According to the charge sheet, accused Rehman tried to cover up these transactions which was revealed on examinations of seized documents including fake bills and expenses worth Rs 1,69,554 in the name of AAJMI.
Transactions Relating to Meeran Haider
Police have alleged that Meeran Haider received Rs 86,644 through online transactions in his bank account between December 1, 2019, and February 26, 2020. As documents seized by the police from Haider’s room, he had received n amount of Rs 4,82,500. Of this, Rs 50,000 was given by a Dubai resident named Tanveer Ali and Rs Rs 1,05,000 in cash was given by a Saudi Arabia resident. The investigation revealed that Rs 2,86,000 was distributed among Muslims to instigate riots.
The lawyers of the all the five accused named in the charge sheet have clearly denied the allegations relating to monetary transactions.
