On Thursday, the officials of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) who are investigating the recent Kanpur violence, revealed that the local Islamic leader and the main conspirator behind the violence have been receiving heavy amounts from the Gulf countries. The ATS stated that accused Hayat Zafar Hashmi, the president of Kanpur-based NGO named Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Fans Association, has received over Rs 50 crores from several sources in the past few years.
According to a report by Jagran, Hashmi has four local bank accounts in the name of the NGO which has received heavy amounts from the Gulf countries. Though the investigations are underway, the ATS officials have clarified that the information is prima facie and will be confirmed only after interrogating the accused.
Kanpur violence mastermind Hashmi operates the NGO’s three local bank accounts in the Babupurva, Karnalganj, and Beaconganj areas of Kanpur, the Jagran report says. The fourth account of the NGO is in the Punjab National Bank. The ATS officials tracing the transactions found that Hashmi received Rs 3.54 crores in a bank located at Babupurva on July 30, 2019. In September 2021, he withdrew over Rs 98 lakhs from the account to keep the balance of only Rs 1.27 crores.
The ATS officials also found that the accused has received over Rs 48 crores in the local private bank accounts located at Karnalganj and Beaconganj area of Kanpur in the past three years. However, now the amount left in these banks accounts to Rs 12 lakhs only. While the source and the purpose for which the amount has been used are unclear, the ATS officials have suspected that the accused has been using the amount for anti-India activities. Amid the investigation, the ATS plans to interrogate Hayat Zafar Hashmi and his NGO associates to confirm and trace the details of the visible transactions.
MMA Jauhar Fans Association celebrated the release of history-sheeter Dr Kafeel Khan
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Fans Association is a Kanpur-based Islamic NGO that was founded in the year 2007 by accused Hashmi. The organization claims to have been serving ‘humanity’ for the past 8 years. According to the official website, the motto of the organization is just to raise voice against social problems like vulnerable water supply, power crisis, roads problems and traffic issues, etc.
The volunteers of the organization include State Incharge Hafiz Abdul Samad, Yusuf Mansoori, State Vice President Raees Ansari, Arshi Siddique, National President Women Cell Uzma Khan, and many more who have successfully organized several movements against problems like ‘rapes, riots’ and more. Some of the prominent fundraising movements as displayed on the official website include spreading of Prophet’s message, leading protests, and celebrating the release of Dr Kafeel Khan who was arrested for making a provocative speech at the Aligarh Muslim University during the anti-CAA protests.
It is important to note that Hayat Zafar Hashmi was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police for leading the violent protest in the city’s Parade Chowk area last Friday. He was among the 40 accused named in the FIR who had pelted stones and injured several people including the police on June 3. Hashmi had called for the shutdown of the market in protest against Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Islam. His call for a shutdown touched off an ugly spate of violence after the Friday Namaz, on a day when both the Prime Minister and the President of India were in the state.
Police found incriminating Whatsapp chats from Hashmi’s phone
On June 6, the Police also found several incriminating Whatsapp chats from six mobile phones belonging to Hayat Zafar Hashmi, seized following his arrest after the Kanpur violence. Kanpur police came across a WhatsApp group named ‘MM Johar Fans association Kanpur team’, on which the pictures of shops being shut before the violence on June 3 were shared. “Insha’Allah, thode der mei video aayenge, Rehmani market bandh (Insha’Allah, we will receive a video shortly, bandh at Rehmani market)”, one of the messages read. The police also revealed that a total of 141 WhatsApp groups were found on Hashmi’s mobile, and most of them had conversations regarding the Kanpur clashes.
Notably, accused Hashmi has been involved in various activities for the past few years and has acquired several illegal properties. He runs a ration shop at home under the government quota. Hashmi is alleged to have instigated his sister and mother in a family case, following which the duo immolated themselves outside the Kanpur DM’s office and both of them died in the incident. According to the police, he was also a part of violent demonstrations against the CAA and the NRC.
