E-Paper
Conversion ‘racket’: Accused’s links with banned outfit under police scanner
Three men were arrested on January 18 for allegedly distributing suspicious Islamic literature at the ongoing Magh Mela with the motive to encourage people to adopt Islam
After the recent arrests of three persons, including a madrasa teacher, for allegedly running a conversion racket at Magh Mela, police were reportedly investigating if the accused have any link with banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).
Madrasa teacher Mehmood Hasan Gazi originally from Husainganj area of Fatehpur, Mohd Monish aka Ashish Kumar Gupta from Sarai Inayat in Prayagraj and Sameer aka Naresh Kumar Saroj from the Pipri area of Kaushambi, were arrested by SOG (Special Operations Group) police on January 18 for allegedly distributing suspicious Islamic literature at the ongoing Magh Mela with the motive to encourage people to adopt Islam.
Even as the accused were jailed, police teams continued raids in Fatehpur and Prayagraj in search of other persons who might be involved in the alleged racket, and details of foreign funding received for the “distribution of free literature”. The police said they were also looking into the possibility of the accused’s links with PFI, which has been accused of involving in anti-national and anti-social activities in the country.
“Investigation on different points, including foreign links of the accused, is being carried out in the alleged conversion racket. The accused’s call details are being scanned,” SOG team in-charge Rajesh Upadhyay said.
Meanwhile, the probe revealed that among the 204 ‘suspicious’ Islamic literature is reportedly a book written by Zakir Naik, a controversial Islamic televangelist. The information has been shared with intelligence agencies for further investigation.
In 2016, Naik left the country after his organisation was accused of spreading hatred.
Crime Branch, Intelligence Bureau, ATS and STF are also conducting parallel investigations into the alleged racket.
