On 22nd January 2024, Lord Ram was enthroned in the newly constructed Ram Mandir of Ayodhya. OpIndia is constantly making people aware of many unknown aspects of the struggles of Hindus for the birthplace of Lord Ram. In this sequence, the suspicious role of Fasih-ur-Rehman known as the former MP Munnan Khan, came to light in the brutal murder of the Karsevaks.
We learned about Munnan Khan’s dark exploits including the abduction of the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) with the intention of killing him and his crimes against Hindus during riots after investigating the case closely. We found that Mohammad Qasim Khan carried on his father Munnan Khan’s nefarious tradition in Gonda district which is the latter’s home. Qasim Khan’s name appeared on the Gonda police roster as a mobster.
Qasim Khan entered the crime world with his father
Mohammad Qasim stepped into the realm of crime along with his father Munnan Khan. The first matter against him was registered in 1989 which is 35 years ago from today. This criminal case was filed in Rehra Bazar police station of Balrampur district. He was charged with sections 147, 149, 332, 307, 353, 368, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which was submitted under crime number 82/89.
Mohammad Qasim Khan committed his second offence in the Balrampur district’s Utraula police station neighbourhood that same year. Subsequently, sections 147, 149, 332, 307, 364, 504 and 506 of the IPC and 7 Criminal Law Amendment Act were invoked against him under First Information Report No. 225/89.
Life imprisonment for kidnapping and beating SDM
On 18th November 1989, Qasim, the son of Munnan Khan, assisted his father in the abduction of SDM Utraula in the Balrampur district. Munnan Khan represented Gonda district’s Katra assembly constituency as an MLA at the time. Munnan arrived at the SDM office with his son Qasim and roughly twenty-five other individuals. Afterwards, he attempted to drag Deputy Collector RP Singh along with him after viciously beating the official and putting him in his jeep.
Munnan Khan and his companions met in the vicinity of the Rehra police station when the police cordoned off the area. Qasim Khan who was accompanied by his father and goons engaged in a violent confrontation with the police to forcefully take the SDM. However, the officer was rescued eventually. The authorities lodged a second FIR in which Munnan Khan and his son Qasim were made accused. The case of assault on police is still pending in court.
At the same time, the case of the kidnapping of SDM continued for almost 26 years in the district court. Meanwhile, Munnan Khan passed away. The district court of Balrampur finally pronounced the verdict. Sessions Judge Umesh Chandra Sharma delivered the ruling in August 2016 and sentenced Munnan Khan’s son Qasim along with Mohammad Bashir, Yar Mohammad and Bashir Ahmed to life imprisonment.
Furthermore, the perpetrators were fined twenty-five thousand rupees by the court. Waliur Rahman is the other accused in the case. The judge fined him 10,000 rupees and awarded him a 10-year jail term. Waliur Rahman would frequently claim to be ill during court proceedings and would arrive at the hearing holding a crutch. The High Court granted him bail in the SDM kidnapping case.
Illegal occupation of government land and hooliganism
Qasim Khan did not only indulge in violence but also resorted to other criminal activities including occupying government property. Additionally, Qasim Khan took over Nazul land (land with no ownership) in the Gonda district illegally. This led to the initiation of a formal complaint against Qasim in January 2017. Raghunath Tiwari, an officer in the relevant government department, brought the First Information Report.
Qasim Khan had seized the government land and was developing a commercial complex on it. Qasim was directed not to do so by officials of the relevant department, but he did not comply. Nazul Adhikari (officer) then reported the issue to the cops and they used this as grounds to apprehend Qasim. Later, a separate gangster act was also imposed on him.
The Gangster Act was enacted in 2017
Munnan Khan passed away in 2009 but his son Qasim Khan tried hard to keep his terror alive. On 1st February 2017, Qasim was the subject of a formal complaint recorded with the Gonda Police. The Gangster Act was utilised to submit the FIR. The FIR named Mohammad Qasim Khan and his accomplice Mohammad Rashid.
The police observed in the FIR that such professional criminals’ unrestricted movement poses a threat to a safe society. The report asserted that Qasim and Rashid’s actions had a detrimental impact on the life of the common man. Munnan’s son Qasim Khan had been prosecuted under section 3(1) of the Gangster Act with a reference code of FIR No-152/2017 by Kotwali Nagar Police.
Fear in the region and kidnapping for homicide
Qasim Khan and his gang remained to be a threat to law and order, according to the police’s official report. Qasim’s gang was funded by the proceeds of crimes like kidnapping for ransom and unlawfully occupying government territory. The police stated in the FIR that they believed Qasim was so feared that people were hesitant to file a complaint against him.
Qasim was also declared a land mafia in July 2019. Afterwards, an inquiry into his benami properties was initiated. However, despite being sentenced to life imprisonment in the SDM kidnapping case and the imposition of the Gangster Act as well as being declared a land mafia, Munnan Khan’s son Qasim Khan’s criminal activities continued unabated and the number of FIRs registered against him continued to grow in number.
Attempted to burn police cars in anti-CAA violence
On 20th December 2019, the police brought a formal complaint against Qasim. According to the police, after Friday prayers Qasim and a few of his acquaintances organised an anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) demonstration and held up anti-government banners in front of Farooqui Masjid (Mosque) in the Gonda police station area. Qasim was advised to go back home by the constables and sub-inspector stationed at the location who explained to him the implications of section 144.
The instructions of the police made no difference to Mohammad Qasim and his companions. They started shouting provocative slogans. Meanwhile, some people in the crowd attacked the police while abusing them. In the meantime, the attackers declared, “Burn their vehicles.” The mob was incited to kill the cops. The police then used mild force to disperse the crowd.
This action prevented law and order from breaking down and the situation was able to return to normalcy. Cases were submitted against Haji Shoaibuddin, Haji Mahmood, Hamza Hussain, Siraj Ahmed, Shahid Halwa Parathe Wale, Meraj Ahmed, Mashkoor Ahmed, Munnu Supari, Nabi Khan, Nadeem, Fabi son of Asad Ganjedi, Qasim, Waji and Fasi among others.
Apart from these, the son of Bhurre Fal Wale, son of Haji Anda Wale, Munna, Tahseen, Javed, Mahmood, Babu, Chand, Abdullah, Arif, Haroon and Jafar as well as others were also named as accused in the case while 210 culprits remained anonymous. All of them were booked under sections 143, 188, 353, 117, 504 and 506 of the IPC. OpIndia has a copy of the FIR.
Created ruckus along with AIMIM leader
Haji Mahmood was also named as Qasim’s ally in the violent protest in Gonda against the CAA. Haji Mahmood was the then city president of the political party of the Owaisi brothers, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) from Gonda. Qasim and Haji Mahmood reportedly collected money together to finance the violent agitation.
AMU student, Zakir Naik and Arvind Kejriwal supporter
About 6 years after being linked to the 1989 SDM kidnapping, Qasim Khan enrolled at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for a postgraduate degree. Qasim claims to have an engineering degree. He goes by Engineer Qasim Bhai among his peers. Qasim Khan has established ‘Unity Public School’ in his home village of Haldhar Mau, Gonda, at present.
As of right now, Qasim hasn’t uploaded any political content on his social media accounts. However, he did post ten years ago endorsing Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party. On 27th November 2013, Qasim also posted an appeal for people to share Islamist fugitive Zakir Naik’s message. He frequently posted images and other content disparaging Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Munnan Khan’s nephew is Samajwadi Party General Secretary
While Munnan Khan’s son Qasim may have inherited his criminal heritage, his nephew Mahfooz Khan is responsible for carrying on his political legacy. Mahfooz Khan, Munnan’s nephew, was elected as an MLC on a Samajwadi Party ticket as well. Mahfooz Khan, a former MLC was appointed General Secretary of the Samajwadi Party in September 2023. It is reported that Mahfooz handled all aspects of campaigning and polling management when Munnan ran for the Katra assembly seat for the first time in 1985.
