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Congress MLA Mamman Khan named in Nuh violence FIR: Haryana govt to High Court
The communal violence erupted in the district on July 31 during a Hindu religious procession, injuring several and killing at least five.
The Haryana government on Thursday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that Congress MLA from Ferozepur Zirka Mamman Khan has been named in one of the FIRs registered to probe Nuh violence of July 31.
Read here: Nuh violence: Congress MLA named suspect in FIR, HC tells him to move lower court
Haryana’s additional advocate general Deepak Sabherwal told the high court bench of justice Vikas Bahl that in all, there are 52 accused persons in an FIR (149) registered on August 1 at the Nagina police station on Nuh Violence out of which 42 persons have been arrested.
“One Taufiq, who is also an accused in the FIR, has been arrested …. (he) has named the present petitioner (the MLA) as one of the accused,” Sabherwal informed the court, adding that during investigation it was found that calls were exchanged between Taufiq and the MLA between July 29 and July 30, a day prior to violence. As per the tower location, the MLA was within an area of 1.5 km from the place of occurrence of violence on July 29 and July 30 contrary to the claims being made by the MLA that he was not close to the place of the occurrence.
Sabherwal was responding to a plea filed by Khan demanding the constitution of a high-level special investigation team (SIT) comprising of officers not below the rank of the inspector general of police and for transferring of cases on Nuh violence to the said SIT. It was also demanded that the investigation details should not be shared with political executive.
The communal violence erupted in the district on July 31 during a Hindu religious procession, injuring several and killing at least five. The violence eventually spiralled and spread to neighbouring districts, including Gurugram, where mobs set afire a mosque and pillaged several shops and restaurants.
Sabherwal had further informed the court that statements of security officers of the MLA, constable Jai Prakash and constable Pradeep, have also been recorded by the police and according to them the MLA was within a range of 1.5 km from the place of occurrence of violence on July 29 and July 30.
It was further submitted that the MLA had posted on WhatsApp as well as on Facebook on July 30 that “nobody needs to worry as the petitioner (MLA) had fought for them in the Vidhan Sabha and will fight for them in Mewat also.” Also, one Abdulla Khan, who is an accused and yet to arrested, in one of his posts, had mentioned “engineer Mamman Khan MLA Mission complete”.
He further submitted that the MLA was summoned on August 25 for August 31 before the probe team, but he sent a reply stating that he was not feeling well and sought 10 days’ time for joining the probe. He has not joined the probe since then. Hence, after considering the entire material the probe team have found, he has been nominated as an accused on September 4, he submitted.
Giving details of probe, Sabherwal contended that in the FIR in question, an SIT comprising of DSP Satish Kumar, SHO Nagina, and SI Varinder has been constituted, which is working under direct supervision of the superintendent of police, Nuh. It has been decided that the inspector general of police, south range, Rewari, would monitor the investigation and would seek a weekly update, the court was informed by Sabherwal, adding that the investigation has been done “fairly and at a good pace and there is now peace in Nuh”.
Read here: Haryana CM Khattar meets family members of Nuh violence victim
Taking note of submissions from Sabherwal, the court has issued notice on his plea for October 19 but said that the issue of maintainability is left open. However, it granted liberty to the MLA to apply for bail.
