Police arrest Sambhal mosque committee chief in connection with Nov 24 violence

Sambhal: In relation to the violence that broke out here in November of last year over a court-ordered inspection of the mosque, Zafar Ali, the president of the Shahi Jama Masjid committee, was taken into custody on Sunday, according to a police officer.

According to officials, the mosque committee chief was arrested earlier in the day by the local police's special investigation team (SIT) so they could get his statement regarding the violent case from November 24.

Ali's brother, however, alleged that it was done to prevent him from submitting his testimony before a three-member judicial commission on Monday.

The panel has been appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the violence in which four people were killed and several injured. The Mughal-era mosque here has been at the centre of a major row after a petition claimed that it was the site of an ancient Hindu temple.

Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar Bishnoi, while talking to PTI, said Shahi Jama Masjid chief Jafar Ali has been arrested in connection with the November 24 violence case. He didn't elaborate further.

In the morning, PTI reached out to Sambhal Kotwali in-charge Anuj Kumar Tomar to ask whether Zafar Ali had been arrested. Tomar replied that the mosque committee president had been taken into custody by the SIT to record his statement.

Asked further if the detention was related to the November 24 violence, he confirmed that Ali had been taken into custody for questioning in the case.

Zafar Ali's elder brother Tahir Ali alleged that the police were "deliberately" sending his sibling to jail before his testimony could be recorded before the judicial panel on Monday.

"Around 11:15 am, an inspector and the investigating officer (of the case) came to our house, saying that CO (circle officer) Kuldeep Singh wanted to talk. He had spoken with us last night as well. Zafar was supposed to testify before the commission tomorrow and that is why they are deliberately sending him to jail," the brother told reporters.

He further said, "Zafar has already given his statement in a press conference and he will not retract it. He had clearly said that the police fired shots, and those who died were killed by police bullets." Asked what conversation he had with Zafar Ali before being taken away by police, Tahir Ali said, "He told me, 'No problem, I am ready to go to jail. I will not back down from the truth'." On the allegations of external funding in the case, Tahir Ali firmly denied it. "Not a single penny has been received. We will fight this case in court and emerge victorious," he asserted.

He accused the Sambhal administration of deliberately inciting public unrest. "The authorities do not want the tension to ease. We are trying to restore peace, but all police officers and senior officials here are provoking further discord," he claimed.

Tahir Ali also mentioned that Zafar Ali, Masood Farooqui, and Qasim Advocate were scheduled to submit their testimony before the commission on Monday.

With PTI inputs