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After Tahir Hussain who wanted to ‘teach kafirs a lesson’, AIMIM mulls giving Shahrukh Pathan a ticket: His role in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, how he lied to court and what we know about his convicted father

Shahrukh Pathan became the poster boy of the anti-Hindu riots after images of him pointing a pistol at a policeman had gone viral during the violence.

Ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections 2025, Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is planning to field Delhi riots prime accused Shahrukh Pathan as its candidate from one of the 70 constituencies. While the decision regarding this has not yet been finalized, the idea of AIMIM fielding another anti-India Islamist in the Delhi assembly elections is sparking outrage all over the state.

The information regarding this was confirmed by AIMIM Delhi unit president, Shoaib Jamei. He met the family of Pathan who is behind bars at present and indicated that the party was considering fielding Pathan from the Seelampur constituency. However, he said that no confirmed decision about this was taken.

“Yesterday we met the mother of jailed Shahrukh Pathan at his home. A delegation of Delhi AIMIM met his family and discussed the conditions and legal aid that Pathan needs. This small step of ours in the campaign for justice in Delhi will encourage many families whose children have been in jail for years without trial. According to the Supreme Court, bail is the right of those prisoners whose cases are pending. His mother says that the case was registered against her son at the behest of Arvind Kejriwal and she will not forget this,” Jamei shared in a post on Facebook.

Along with Jamei, other AIMIM leaders like Joint Secretary Manzar Shoaib, Asghar Ansari, MNS Nasir, and Nadeem Sheikh also met the family of the prime accused in the Delhi riot case and offered assistance to them to probably get him out of jail.

Pathan open fired at Delhi police officials

Pathan at present is lodged in Tihar jail and is accused of instigating anti-CAA riots in Delhi in the year 2020. He was arrested in the year 2020 on the charges of opening fire at the Delhi Police officials and inciting riots in the national capital during the Anti-Hindu riots. Shahrukh Pathan became the poster boy of the anti-Hindu riots after images of him pointing a pistol at a policeman had gone viral during the violence.

He, therefore, has been charged in two cases. He has been booked under rioting and relevant sections for allegedly pointing a gun at head constable Deepak Dahiya during the riots on February 24, 2020. His name is also included in a charge sheet in connection with the Maujpur incident on February 24th, where violence erupted between pro-CAA and anti-CAA groups and later spread to other parts of Northeast Delhi.

CCTV videos of head constable Deepak Dahiya standing resolute on duty, fearlessly facing the criminal Shahrukh who fired bullets at him had gone viral on social media.

Two policemen named Raman and Deepak and a passerby Rohit Shukla had sustained injuries because of the violence that had broken out at Maujpur Chowk on February 24th. Shukla had then confirmed that there were two groups of people, one of which was shouting ‘Allah­hu­Akbar’ and protesting against CAA and NRC.

While the AIMIM leaders are offering assistance to bail Pathan, it is crucial to note that the Delhi Court in 2023 had rejected Pathan’s bail saying that there was no reason to grant him bail. “Considering the conduct of the accused Shahrukh Pathan in jail during his judicial custody, his conduct before his being arrested, conduct during court proceedings, and most importantly, the allegations against the accused which are being supported by the eyewitnesses and also the video footage, on any of the counts on which bail can be considered, the court sees nothing to set him enlarged on bail,” Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Court was quoted as saying.

During the riot, on the 24th of February 2020, a confrontation broke out between Jaffrabad Metro Station and Maujpur Bridge. There were more than 5,000 people who came face to face in that area. The anti-CAA protestors (Islamist mob) were pelting stones and brandishing guns. When the investigation was carried out, 3 cartridges were found at the spot where Shahrukh Pathan brandished a gun, aimed at the head of a police officer in uniform. 

Pathan first fired a few rounds at the crowd and refused to pay heed to the warnings issued by the police officer. When he advanced, for the safety of the crowd, the police officer stood in his path and did not move. When Pathan was at a distance of 9-10 feet from the police officer, he fired his weapon aimed at the police officer’s head to kill him. The police officer dodged the bullet but continued to stand there in his path so he couldn’t advance further and kill the Hindus. As the police officer refused to move, Pathan pushed the officer and then aimed the gun at his head again. When the police officer issued another warning after being pushed, Shahrukh Pathan fired at the crowd and started retreating.

It was only after sustained interrogation that Shahrukh Pathan revealed his full identity and confessed to his involvement in the crime.

The Delhi Court had later ordered an FIR against Pathan and booked him under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc.), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 307 (murder attempt), 505, 120B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code along with Section 27 of the Arms Act.

He lied that he was tortured in jail

It was earlier reported that Pathan during the investigation was not at all cooperative and he also had misled the police. He further had also refused to reveal the identity of other rioters who were involved.

During his time in jail, Pathan had also lied that he was tortured by the jail superintendent who threatened him with dire consequences for pointing a gun at an officer from his caste. “Assistant Jail Superintendent by the name of Rajesh Dahiya slapped Pathan on his face and threatened him with dire consequences for having pointed his pistol at a person of his cast/(Gotra). The police also threatened Pathan saying that they would kill him before the trial concluded and that all this was done amidst the presence of all the other Jail officials,” the counsel of Pathan was quoted as saying back in 2023.

The counsel further claimed that the attack on Pathan was a calculated one, testing the waters for a larger attack. He also stated that Shahrukh Pathan was scared for his life and was living in fear inside the jail, thus demanding release. The court, however, considered the evidence and denied bail, indicating that Shahrukh Pathan and his lawyer had blatantly lied in their application to the court.

Pathan’s father convicted for drug peddling, evidence of collusion with Pakistanis

It is important to note that not only Pathan but his father was also charged by the Delhi Police. Shahrukh Pathan’s father was convicted by a Delhi court on 11th August 2016. In January 2010, Meghalaya Police filed a complaint in Delhi that three Pakistani nationals Abdul Razzaq, Mohd. Saddique and Rafakat Ali who had been brought from Lampur Seva Sadan (FRRO detention centre) on 1st January 2010 to Guru Nanak Eye Hospital for their medical examination had escaped while they were being taken back.

During the investigation to track down the missing Pakistanis, the visitor’s register which was maintained by Meghalaya Police was also checked. The entries in the register made from 28th September 2009 to 2nd January 2010 revealed that two people – Anees Khan and Arbaz Khan – had met Abdul Razzaq and Saleem on 29th December 2009 and 30th December 2009. During interrogation, it was revealed that before absconding in January 2010, the three Pakistanis had after going to Gurunanak Eye Hospital been first taken to Jama Masjid and then one of them (Abdul Razzak) was taken by him to Seelampur near Jaffarbad to collect money from someone. Anees and Arbaz were nephews of Sabir Ali.

It is pertinent to understand here that the three Pakistanis were in India illegally and therefore, were being held at a detention centre. They were given harbor at Jama Masjid from where one of them was taken to Seelampur (near Jaffrabad) to collect money – the very area where the Delhi anti-Hindu riots had broken out in February 2020 – in which Shahrukh Pathan was primarily leading a mob.

Based on this investigation, Sabir Ali (Baldev Singh), Anees Khan, and Arbaz were called to the Special Cell office and inquiries were made from them. During interrogation, it was revealed that Sabir Ali (Baldev Singh) had given money to Abdul Razzaq at Seelampur before he had absconded.

The numbers that were taken from the accused during interrogation were then thoroughly investigated after those detained and questioned – including the father of Shahrukh Pathan – were set free. During the surveillance of the numbers, it was revealed that the accused – including Pathan’s father – were involved in the business of fake currency and drugs. There was also an intercepted call where Sabir Ali had spoken about the international smuggling of drugs.

After this surveillance, when a notice was served to Sabir Ali, Arbaz, and Anees, they refused to answer the notice served by the special cell. The Special Cell then received information about a Charas and Smack delivery that Sabir Ali and his co-accused Sannaullah Mir were about to make. When the raiding party intercepted Ali and Mir, they discovered drugs in their possession. Substantial amounts of drugs were also found on the scooter of Sabir Ali – the substance in the scooter was heroin.

After the subsequent arrest, Mir and Ali were interrogated separately. During interrogation, the father of Shahrukh Pathan, Sabir Ali, confessed that he was in the business of drugs and fake currency notes along with his associates Anees, Arbaz, Jarnail, and Mir. He also disclosed how the police could arrest Jarnail Singh and revealed that on an earlier occasion, Singh had given him 2 lacs and drugs, parts of which were then distributed to the others. He also agreed to lead the police to another accused – Javed. Several of the co-accused were then arrested post-interrogation of Ali.

In 2011, all the accused persons were charged for the offenses u/s 29 r.w.s. 21, 20, and 23 of the NDPS Act, and accused Sabir Ali was separately charged for the offense u/s 21(c), 25A of the NDPS Act and accused Sanaullah Mir was separately charged for the offense of u/s 20 (b) (ii) (C) of the NDPS Act. All the accused persons were also charged for the offenses u/s 489 C r.w.s. 120B IPC.

In court, the prosecution examined 39 witnesses in all to prove its case against the accused. All the accused, including the father of Shahrukh Pathan, took the defense that they had been falsely implicated by the police and that no contraband/counterfeit currency notes had been recovered from their possession or at their instance at any point in time. Among all the accused, the court ‘particularly’ was intrigued by the defense of Sabir Ali alias Baldev Singh. It is pertinent to mention here that Shahrukh Pathan’s father was previously a Sikh named Baldev Singh and had converted to Islam before marrying.

When Sabir Ali started explaining why he was supposedly implicated by the police, he ended up revealing his long illustrious career as a criminal. A detailed report regarding this can be read here.

Following this, Sabir Ali (alias Baldev Singh) was convicted for 10 years with a fine of Rs 1 lac under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act and sections of the NDPS Act.

UAPA accused Tahir Husain AIMIM candidate from Mustafabad seat

The AIMIM’s plan to field Pathan from the Saleempur constituency in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections has sparked outrage given the ongoing grievous charges against him. Notably, this is not the first time that AIMIM is planning to field a candidate with a criminal background. Earlier, on 10th December, AIMIM fielded ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, accused in the larger conspiracy of the Delhi riots 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 as a candidate from the Mustafabad seat.

Tahir Hussain is a former AAP member and is accused of participating in, funding and orchestrating riots in Delhi in the year 2020. In March last year, the Karkardooma court in Delhi framed murder and conspiracy charges against Hussain and ten others for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma during the anti-Hindu Delhi riots on 25th February 2020.

The 2025 Delhi Legislative Assembly election for all 70 constituencies is expected to take place on or before February 2025. Hussain and Pathan probably contesting from AIMIM shall, however, be a challenge for the Aam Aadmi Party which seeks to secure a third term in the state.

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Siddhi Somani
Siddhi Somani
Siddhi is known for her satirical and factual hand in Social and Political writing. After completing her PG-Masters in Journalism, she did a PG course in Politics. The author meanwhile is also exploring her hand in analytics and statistics. (Twitter- @sidis28)

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