The Uttar Pradesh government has been on mission-mode to arrest the culprits behind the antii-CAA riots that broke out in various parts of Uttar Pradesh earlier. So far, since the riots, Uttar Pradesh government has arrested 40 members of the radical Islamist organisation PFI, 10 of those have been arrested only in the last 24 hours.
Out of the 10, four PFI members have been arrested from Muzaffarnagar in the state, while the others were held from different parts of Uttar Pradesh. Farman, Nafees, Idrish and Mursaleen were arrested on late Sunday night, SHO Anil Kapervan said. Some pamphlets against the CAA were seized from their possession, he said. They have predominently been arrested for anti-CAA riots that broke out on the 20th of December 2018.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) report had indicated a massive PFI hand in inciting violence by Muslim mobs all across Uttar Pradesh. It had also revealed several transactions to 73 bank accounts worth Rs 120 crores. During this investigation, huge amounts were also transferred from PFI to Congress leader Kapil Sibal and lawyer Indira Jaising. Kapil Sibal had later threatened to sue the media if this link was brought up.
In Hapur, a Muslim mob with thousands took to the streets on December 20 to protest against the CAA. On Sunday, the police said to have arrested Nadeem, a resident of village Athasaini in Garhmukteshwar area, an active member of the PFI, from Old Chungi on Bulandshahar Road.
Additional Superintendent of Police Sarvesh Kumar Mishra said that evidence has been found that implicates the accused in the anti-CAAA riots. Accused is an active member of PFI since 2012. The names of some other members of this organization have come to light. Police teams have been formed to search for them. The bank accounts of the arrested accused are being investigated.
Recently, 5 PFI members were arrested in Kanpur, who were absconding since December anti-CAA riots. They were reportedly also planning to disrupt CM Yogi Adityanath’s visit.
According to the Kanpur police, the arrested 5 PFI members were named in the previous FIR filed after December 20 violence. They had reportedly planned to disrupt chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s visit to Kanpur today by protesting against the CAA. The police have asserted that all 5 arrested were absconding since the December 20 violence and were charged under various sections of the IPC for instigating violence, rioting and attempt to murder.
The Uttar Pradesh police too, in its preliminary investigation, claimed the involvement of PFI, SDPI and Samajwadi Party workers in provoking riots across the state of Uttar Pradesh following the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019 that grants citizenship for the persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Earlier. three people associated with the radical Islamic organisation PFI, including UP state head Waseem, have been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for orchestrating violence by spreading misinformation through social media platforms.
Notedly, the police is also investigating Sharjeel Imam’s links with PFI. Sharjeel Imam is the mastermind of Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Sharjeel Imam was arrested after his seditious speeches came to light where he spoke about breaking India up and breaking Assam from India.
