On 6th December, Sambhal Police arrested a fake journalist identified as Asim Raza Zaidi for inciting violence and extorting money in the name of those who died during the violence on 24th November. In a video statement, Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishan Bishnoi said that Zaidi falsely claimed to be a journalist of the Dev Kesari newspaper and possessed a fake ID card.
Zaidi was booked under Sections 318, 338, 336, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita (BNS) and sent to jail.
Zaidi reportedly made a video that contained his UPI QR code. In the video, he referred to those who died in the Sambhal violence on 24th November as “martyrs” and urged people to oppose police action. He was using the violence to collect funds in the name of the deceased mobsters and incite public unrest. OpIndia checked the QR code being used by him. It showed the name as “Asim Raza Zaidi” in PhonePe app.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi stated, “Asim Raza Zaidi was actively provoking individuals through social media, calling for resistance against the administration’s actions and using videos to solicit money purportedly for the families of those deceased in the violence. Investigations have revealed he falsely claimed to be a journalist for the Dev Kesari newspaper and possessed a fake ID card.”
Zaidi, who resides near Jama Masjid, reportedly circulated videos with QR codes, urging donations and labelling the deceased as martyrs. His arrest took place on 6th December, shortly after the Friday prayers. According to SP Bishnoi, the Dev Kesari management confirmed that Zaidi had been dismissed two months prior and had no legitimate connection to the organisation.
Full statement by SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi
In a video statement, SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi said, “Yesterday evening, Inspector Sanjeev from Sambhal Kotwali police station received information about a young man named Asim Zaidi, who was creating QR codes to incite people and extort money. He was allegedly provoking individuals to speak against the police and participate in protests. Upon being interrogated by the police, the individual claimed to be a journalist for the Dev Kesari National Daily newspaper. However, when the newspaper was contacted, they clarified that they had no journalist of this nature on their payroll and stated that anyone using their name in this manner was fraudulent.”
कहने को पत्रकार,असल में जिहादी,संभल में नसीम ज़ैदी गिरफ़्तार,यही है मीडिया जिहाद !! pic.twitter.com/wNAmlCcvcG
— Dr. Shalabh Mani Tripathi (@shalabhmani) December 7, 2024
He added, “When his ID card was examined, it was found to be fake. Following this, a case was registered at the Kotwali police station under Sections 318, 338, 336, and 340 of the BNS Act. The accused, Asim Raza Zaidi, is being arrested and sent to jail. Investigations are underway to determine how much money he has collected, which accounts the money was sent to, and from where the funds were received. Further action is being ensured.”
Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal and violence that erupted on 24th November
On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The survey was carried out under the supervision of Advocate Commission. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.
However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamist mobsters gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel and set ablaze vehicles and shops. At least 20 police personnel were injured during violence and four mobsters were killed in the mayhem, likely from illegal guns carried by rioters.
In the aftermath of the Sambhal violence on 24th November, police have clarified that the deaths of three individuals occurred due to firing by rioters, not by the police. Post-mortem reports revealed that two victims were shot with country-made pistols, while the 315-bore bullet was found inside the body of another victim, a type not used by Uttar Pradesh Police. Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi stated that the police initially fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob but were fired upon by rioters.
During the survey, however, Muslims living in the area gathered outside the Jama Masjid and raised religious slogans. The District Magistrate of Sambhal confirmed that the survey was completed in around two hours and stated that a report would be submitted to the Civil Court, which will review it on the next date of hearing, 29th November 2024. OpIndia accessed the petition filed by the plaintiffs in the case.
As of now, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. Next hearing in the matter will be in January 2025. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.
OpIndia’s detailed report on petition filed at the court can be checked here.
