In Crime Branch charge sheet in Delhi riots case, a reference to Tablighi Jamaat

According to people familiar with the development, the police had carried out a detailed call analysis of Faisal Farooque’s phone as part of its investigation into his alleged role in the riots.

Faisal Farooque, a key conspirator in the Delhi riots case, was in close contact with Abdul Aleem, described as a close associate of Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Mohd Saad when the February riots were taking place, the Delhi Police has said in its charge sheet filed in a Delhi court.

Burnt shop seen after recent violence, at Tyre market, Gokulpuri, in North East Delhi, India on Saturday, March 7, 2020. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

According to people familiar with the development, the police had carried out a detailed call analysis of Faisal Farooque’s phone as part of its investigation into his role in the riots. The analysis pointed out that Faisal Farooque was in touch with prominent members of Popular Front of India, Pinjra Tod group, Jamia Coordination committee and the Hazarat Nizamuddin Markaz.

Faisal Farooque, who owns Rajdhani School in Dayalpur, was among the 18 people arrested by the crime branch for riots around his school. One of the initial targets of the rioters was the DRP Convent School next to the school run by Farooque.

During investigation, it has been found that Faisal Farooque had hatched a conspiracy to precipitate and aggravate riots, in and around Rajdhani School. On his instructions, the adjacent and rival DRP Convent School was destroyed by the mob, according to the charge sheet accessed by Hindustan Times.

The reference to Farooque’s phone conversations with Tablighi Jamaat’s Abdul Aleem, 53, could mean more trouble for the Markaz, the headquarters of the Islamic sect in central Delhi’s Nizamuddin.

The Markaz has been in the spotlight after thousands of coronavirus cases in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in the country were traced to congregations held at its headquarters in March this year. The sect’s leadership is already being probed for violating norms under the epidemic diseases law while its volunteers from abroad have been booked for violating visa norms and the Foreigners Act.

Maulana Saad also faces investigations over charges of money laundering being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.