Nuh violence: Congress MLA named suspect in FIR, HC tells him to move lower court

Mamman Khan’s counsel said they didn’t have any information that he had been made a named accused until the state made the submission before the high court

Difficulties mounted for Nuh’s Ferozepur Jhirka Congress MLA Mamman Khan as he was named a suspect in one of the cases related to the communal violence that rocked the district on July 31, and later spread to neighbouring districts, including Gurugram, leaving six people dead and over 88 others injured.

Attempts were made to contact Mamman Khan multiple times but his phone number remained switched off. (Representational image)

His name was included two days ago in an FIR registered at Nagina police station on August 1 after a police probe found that he was allegedly in touch with a suspect named Mohammad Taufiq over the phone, investigators aware of the case details said. Taufiq has already been arrested for his alleged involvement in the violence.

Khan’s counsel Ashrdeep Singh Cheema said they didn’t have any information that Khan had been made a named accused until the state made the submission before the high court on Thursday.

Attempts were made to contact Khan multiple times but his phone number remained switched off.

Until now, there was only suspicion that Khan may have been involved in the violence covertly and he was twice summoned by the one of the three special investigation teams (SITs) of Nuh police handling the communal violence cases. But the MLA skipped both summons and moved the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking relief.

Satish Kumar, deputy superintendent of police of Ferozepur Jhirka, said now that he has been named a suspect in one of the cases related to the violence, they are preparing to make the MLA join the investigation.

“Yes, he is now a named suspect in an FIR registered in connection with the communal violence at Nagina police station. We are exploring legal options as to how he could be made to appear for questioning,” he said, refusing to disclose what role Khan had allegedly played in the violence. “It’s a matter of investigation. Right now, his name is included in one FIR,” the DSP said.

The fact that Khan’s name was included in one the FIRs came to fore when his petition was taken up for urgent hearing by a high court bench of justice Vikas Bahl on Thursday in which Khan prayed that an officer of the rank of inspector general be appointed for heading the SITs for a fair probe and that he must not be arrested.

Deepak Sabharwal, additional advocate general, appearing for the Haryana government, submitted that Khan has been made an accused in one of the FIRs as he was in contact with an arrested suspect.

Khan’s counsel Cheema said with that submission, the prayer to not arrest Khan became infructuous.

“The bench directed us to move the lower court for anticipatory bail. On the prayer to appoint an IG to head the SITs, the Haryana government was served notice,” Cheema said, adding that the court has fixed October 19 as the next date for hearing in the matter.

Khan had first skipped the appearance before the SIT for quizzing on August 31 on health grounds. SIT had served him notice for the second time to appear on August 10 which he skipped again without giving any intimation to the authorities, Nuh police had said.

On August 29, Haryana government home minister Anil Vij had said that SIT had served Khan notice to appear for quizzing as his activities were suspicious. “He had visited places and met people in Nuh on July 28, 29 and 30 where later the violence had taken place,” Vij had said.

As per Nuh police, more than 330 persons were arrested and at least 62 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence and hate speeches till now.