On May 7, Delhi Police arrested Tabrez Khan for instigating rioters to attack the Shobha Yatra on Hanuman Jayanti in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area. The Police arrested three more accused on the day in the case, and Tabrez was one of them. The other two were Zaheer Khan and Anabul alias Sheikh. The arrest of Tabrez as an accused for instigating rioters serves as a wake-up call for the investigating agencies and media houses.
While Tabrez was busy organizing protests and communal violence in the background, he remained in the limelight as a ‘peace-loving’ person who was part of the Aman Committee formed after the Jahangirpuri violence. He was seen sitting next to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Usha Rangrani during the meeting of the peace committee. He also organized Tiranga Yatra to promote peace and harmony in Jahangirpuri after the riots that were not only attended by higher officials of the Delhi Police but were widely covered by the mainstream media.
Twitter user The Hawk Eye dug up how the media had made Tabrez a poster boy of communal harmony even during anti-CAA protests and the Covid pandemic. According to multiple reports, he was allegedly named in Delhi Riots as well. Tabrez had joined AIMIM a few years back but shifted to Congress later. Currently, he is preparing to contest Delhi Municipal Corporation Elections.
..who organized Shaheen Bagh protest by arranging logistics, and assembling women at the protest site.
— The Hawk Eye (@thehawkeyex) May 9, 2022
He was named in Delhi Riots too but let-off as ‘approver’ for police later as per some reports.
This was quite missing detail from the Delhi Poice side!
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Hawk-Eye wrote, “Tabrez Khan, who was actively participating in DP’s Aman Committee sitting next to cops, was arrested in the Jahagirpuri riots case as one of the conspirators by Crime Branch. He was an organizer of ‘Tiranga harmony Yatra’ for peace calls. Interestingly he is the same guy who organized Shaheen Bagh protest by arranging logistics and assembling women at the protest site.”
Tabrez was made ‘local representative’ of the Muslim community
According to HuffPost, Tabrez Khan is a member of the ultra-orthodox Tablighi Jamaat sect. He was active during anti-CAA protests. During that time, India was looking at the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, and he became one of the victims of the virus at Shaheen Bagh. Media outlets had covered him contracting the disease.
The Print had reported that Tabrez Khan had allegedly organized anti-CAA protests. He had contracted the virus and was admitted to LNJP Hospital for treatment. His sister, who returned from Saudi Arabia and his mother were also tested positive for the virus. Tabrez had gone to the protest site after meeting his sister more than once. As a result, the protests were called off in light of him getting the infection.
After contracting the virus, it looks like he took on the mission to prove himself a good samaritan. Of course, the intentions might have been linked to his desire to become a politician and representative of the community in the area. After contracting Covid-19, he got multiple chances to stay in the limelight. The easiest way was to donate plasma. Unlike blood donation, which requires at least an 8-weeks gap between two donations, plasma can be donated once every 15 days.
During Covid, the demand for plasma from a Covid patient who had recovered from the disease at least two weeks ago had increased as it was seen as a treatment for the critical patients. Tabrez took the chance and started donating plasma often. He was covered multiple times by media houses for the “good deed” he was doing.
In April 2020, ANI quoted him saying, “I decided to donate plasma after I heard CM’s appeal to recovered #COVID19 patients for plasma donation. I feel really good that my plasma will be useful in saving someone’s life.”
In a video interview with The Print, he said, “Covid didn’t spare me, the Tablighi Jamaat or the priest in Ayodhya.”
TOI journalist Somrita Ghosh quoted him saying, “People turn their faces away when they see me. Earlier neighbours would invite me for evening tea, but now they ignore us, it does hurt.” When she published the tweet, Tabrez had already donated plasma seven times.
There were many other tweets praising him for his deeds that can be seen here.
Tabrez had become a hero at that time. He became the representative of the Muslim community and was highlighted as one by many media outlets. His media prominence as a ‘good Muslim’ in numerous interviews is now looking suspicious as he is named as one of the instigators of violence in that area.
NDTV called him a representative of the Muslim community and quoted him saying, “We want to live in harmony. We will ensure such incidents are not repeated. We request the police to reduce force and barricading.”
Economic Times quoted him saying, “Last month was quite tough for the people of Jahangirpuri. Today, on the occasion of Eid, we gathered at Kushal Chowk. We exchanged sweets and hugged each other and sent a message of harmony and peace. This shows people in Jahangirpuri live in harmony and respect each other’s religions.”
However, his plans were busted by the Delhi Police, and he was arrested for his alleged involvement in Jahangirpuri violence. 33 persons have been arrested in the case so far.
