A 32-year old man delivery boy has alleged that a 51-year old man refused to take delivery of goods delivered by him because he was Muslim. The customer has now been sent to judicial custody in Mumbai on Tuesday.
According to the reports, 51-year-old Gajanan Chaturvedi, a resident of Kashimira locality in Thane was arrested for allegedly refusing to take delivery from a Muslim person. The arrested person was produced before a Thane court and sent to judicial custody.
The incident took place on Tuesday when the 32-year-old delivery man went to deliver groceries at Srushti Complex home of the Chaturvedi at Mira Road. Patel was required to deliver parcel outside the gate of the apartment complex. Just as he was about hand over the parcel, Chaturvedi refused to collect the order.
Mira Road incident
A part of the video has gone viral on social media where the delivery boy is asking the customer why is he refusing delivery. The man can be heard saying he had earlier informed he will not take delivery of goods. “Will you not take goods from Muslim?” The delivery boy recording the video asks. Man waves his hands and says no before walking away.
The delivery boy Patel finally registered a complaint at Kashimira police station on Tuesday. The police booked Gajanan Chaturvedi under the Indian Penal Code section 295 (a) for committing a deliberate or malicious act with the intention of outraging Patel’s religious feelings and beliefs.
Sanjay Hajare, senior inspector, Kashimira police station, said that the accused was found at the address where Patel was to deliver the groceries and identified as the man recorded in the video.
On 23 April, 2020, Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and his wife were attacked by two bike-borne assailants about 500 mtrs from his residence in Mumbai. Gowami and his wife filed a written complaint to the NM Joshi Marg Police station naming two individuals, Arun Dilip Borade and Prateek Kumar Shyam Sunder Mishra of Mumbai who had allegedly attacked the couple. In his written complaint, Goswami mentions that the duo had confessed they were part of Yuva Congress. Soon after the attack, Congress leader Alka Lamba had hailed Yuva Congress on social media.
युवा काँग्रेस जिंदाबाद 🙂 ???.
— Alka Lamba – अलका लाम्बा?? (@LambaAlka) April 22, 2020
OpIndia investigation has revealed that the two individuals named in the written complaint indeed appear to be associated with the Congress.
Arun Borade
Arun Borade’s Facebook profile
Arun Borade, on his Facebook, which he joined in May 2011, mentions that he is President of Indian Youth Congress, Sion Koliwada Assembly block.
He has regularly shared pro-Congress posts on his Facebook page.
May 2018 pro-Congress post
He also has pictures with senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
Arun Borade with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge
Mallikarjun Kharge had earlier warned of ‘raktpaat’ (bloodshed) if constitution is changed and had even compared PM Modi to German dictator Adolf Hitler. The original constitution of India as it stood in 1949 and formed under the auspices of Dr Rajendra Prasad and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was amended by Congress leader and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in its 42nd amendment during the Emergency. “Sovereign Democratic Republic” was changed to add ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ in the preamble.
2017 picture with Youth Congress
Prateek Mishra
While Prateek Mishra’s Facebook profile does not specify what post he holds within the Congress, but it does show his association with the party.
Prateek Mishra’s Facebook profile
On 5 February 2020, Mishra had posted a few images on Facebook along with one picture with Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and thanked a local Congress leader for giving him an opportunity to work in Sion-Koliwada constituency. He had posted a picture of himself getting appointment letter from Kharge.
2017 image of Mishra with Congress scarf
Mishra also seems to be a fan of NDTV India Editor Ravish Kumar.
Prateek Mishra as Ravish Kumar fan
Police refused to add Youth Congress in FIR
Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami has alleged that the NM Joshi Marg Police officer refused to name Youth Congress in its FIR. As per the written complaint filed by Goswami, DCP Abhinash Kumar refused to name the duo as members of Youth Congress as ‘it is a matter of investigation’. “I must place on record that I had to make multiple requests in the presence of my colleagues to get an FIR registered which amounts to pure harassment from a citizen who has been subjected to assault by the ruling party in the state,” he states. Goswami also mentioned Congress leader Alka Lamba’s jubilant congratulatory message for Yuva Congress just hours after the attack.
India Today’s Rahul Kanwal had shared some infographics on social media claiming that the Telangana state does not have adequate number of PPEs needed for its healthcare professionals engaged in the battle against coronavirus.
Taking to Twitter, India Today managing editor Rahul Kanwal put up an infographic which listed out the number of PPEs available in coronavirus designated hospitals in India’s 12 most affected states. According to Kanwal, Maharashtra has the maximum number of PPEs at 1,22,133. The lowest, according to him was Telangana with 3,132 PPEs.
Inaccurate reporting by India Today, says KT Ramarao
Reacting on the same, Telangana minister KTR slammed India Today and Rahul Kanwal for their inaccurate reporting.
In a tweet, KTR asked Rahul Kanwal not to publish ‘nonsense and confusing data’ in these troubling times if he did not have accurate details. KT Ramarao asked whether India Today and Rahul Kanwal will apologise if he proved that Telangana had 100 times more PPEs than what the data projected by India Today revealed.
“Sorry but this is disgraceful journalism Rajdeep Sardesai,” tweeted the Telangana minister.
Rahul, If you don’t have accurate data, don’t publish nonsense & confuse people in these troubling times
Will you & India today apologise if I prove that we have 100 times more PPEs than what you have projected here?
Seconds later, he followed it up with another tweet giving the exact number. “For your information, we currently have more than 3.6 lakh PPEs with us already and 6 more lakh PPEs with be with us shortly”, he said again in the tweet.
“I hope you will have the decency to withdraw this fake & baseless graphic”, KTR concluded.
However, Rahul Kanwal soon responded back to the allegations made against India Today by KTR. Kanwal claimed that the data was indeed true as it was taken straight away from Union Health Ministry records. He also stated that they can update the numbers as soon as the real numbers reflected on government records.
Dear @KTRTRS reporters checked again. Data is taken from Union Health Ministry records of Designated Covid Hospitals in Telangana. One snapshot is attached. We can update the numbers as soon as they reflect on government records. Asking for Ashish to file a story on your data too pic.twitter.com/1nsHtZHgRK
More than 940 positive coronavirus cases have been reported in Telangana. 23 people have died due to the Chinese pandemic while 194 people have been cured of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus positive cases in India rose to 21,370 by Thursday, with 681 of them dead.
A complaint has been filed by Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami following the attacks against him and his wife on the wee hours of Thursday by two alleged Congress party workers while they were driving home back from their studios.
In a written complaint filed at the NM Joshi Marg Road police station in Mumbai, Arnab Goswami narrated the incident regarding how two bike-borne assailants had followed him and attacked him while he was on his way to his residence on Wednesday night.
Written complaint submitted to police by Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, after he and his wife were attacked early this morning in Mumbai by 2 unknown persons while they were driving home from their studios. pic.twitter.com/wTU1Dau1lC
An FIR has also been registered by NM Joshi Marg Police station under sec 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of IPC.
Mumbai police reluctant to name Youth Congress in FIR
In the complaint, Arnab Goswami has stated that the initially Mumbai Police had identified the workers as Youth Congress but later backtracked to name the Congress party in the FIR. Shockingly, in his complaint, Arnab Goswami has said that the Mumbai police has refused to name the Youth Congress attackers in the FIR.
According to Arnab Goswami, DCP Abhinash Kumar was reluctant to name Youth Congress in the FIR, who instead said he would instead carry out an investigation to find out whether the Congress party had involved in the attacks against Arnab Goswami.
Arnab Goswami, in his complaint, stated that the refusal to name the Congress party in the complaint came despite Mumbai police officials themselves acknowledging initially that it was Youth Congress members who had attacked the editor.
“This was a clear U-turn and an attempt to change the facts,” said Arnab Goswami in his complaint. Later in the night, Arnab Goswami himself went to the nearby police station to file a complaint.
“I went to NM Joshi Police station at 3:30 AM and was shocked when DCP lied to my face saying that the Youth Congress attack on me was not known to him and that he will have to investigate the matter,” Arnab Goswami’s complaint read.
The Youth Congress workers are identified as Pratheek Kumar Shyam Sundar Mishra and Arun Dilip Barode.
‘Bring it on, Sonia Gandhi’, says Arnab in video
Following the attack, Republic TV’s Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami had released a video narrating the incident, in which he had held Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi responsible for the attacks against him and his wife.
Narrating the incident, Arnab said that his security detail later informed him that the attackers belonged to Youth Congress workers, who confessed that they were given instructions by their higher-ups to carry out the attack.
In a video released after the attack, Arnab went on to hold Sonia Gandhi personally responsible for the attack while asserting that neither he or his network will be cowed down by the attack.
“I will hold you personally responsible for any consequences and any attack on me. If anything ever happens to me, it is Sonia Gandhi and Vadra family, who cannot take my questions, are responsible,” added Arnab Goswami.
Arnab Goswami asserted that he has the support of the people of the country and challenged Sonia Gandhi asking her to “Bring it on”.
Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami was attacked by two bike-borne assailants little after midnight on 23 April, 2020 near his residence in Mumbai. Soon after, he released a video wherein he said that the two men belonged to Yuva Congress and had attacked him to ‘teach him a lesson’ after he had questioned Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s silence on Palghar sadhu lynching.
However, soon after the attack on Goswami, the liberals and the defendants of freedom of press implicitly justified and defended the attacks on Goswami.
Please don’t tell me about Freedom of expression. I have read article 19 and 19A too. This #ArnabGoswami and his ilk doesn’t fit into any perspective of this article.
Instead of condemning the attack on a fellow journalist, no matter how much of difference of opinion one has, Wagle implied that the attack on Arnab is justified since his criticism of Sonia Gandhi over Palghar lynching does not fall under Freedom of Expression.
The “attack” story is to divert attention from imminent arrest.
Maha govt must act swiftly with arrest first and then investigate “attack”
Another columnist Ravi Ratan implied that the attack on Goswami was ‘a story’ created to ‘divert attention’ from the imminent arrest. He further urged Maharashtra government to first arrest Goswami and then investigate the attack. He wrote attack in double quotes, implying the attack was staged.
Look at this ridiculous creature! You don’t have the support of “the people of India,” Arnab, you have the support of the Government of India at whose bidding you act. It’s not courageous to speak truth to people who are out of power. Your job is to hold those in power to account https://t.co/gOsqpV5wYZ
NYTimes columnist Aatish Taseer, who usually likes to claim that freedom of press in India is stifled, referred to Goswami as ‘ridiculous creature’.
Taseer’s Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card was recently revoked as he had concealed that his father was a Pakistani citizen. He has regularly displayed Hinduphobia and spoken the same language of the Islamists who killed his father in Pakistan.
NDTV journalist Nidhi Razdan slyly referred to Goswami as the pandemic India is facing.
Some even cast aspersions on allegations of Arnab Goswami that he was attacked and already passed judgement that his claims are false.
The worst part is Arnab CLAIMS he was attacked & his false claim has more value than journalists facing judicial & police harassment. (especially the ones reporting in Kashmir, and U.P)
It’s almost sad and pathetic to see this man putrefy in front of us. Facts have ceased to exist for Arnab, because this man now believes in his own lies. Pathetic is a man incarcerated in the many untruths he created, trapped inside his hatred and bile. But I also see fear.. https://t.co/Jrt10w8oEh
Congress IT cell members accused Arnab of concocting up the attack on him.
Hey Arnab you and your “Car attack” lies go back a long way! If you want to make up stories, be little creative! @rajeev_mp give some budget to @republic so they can hire better creative writers to come up with fake stories. #DramaBandKarArnabhttps://t.co/Vbe1o8VC3y
Bollywood starlet turned Congress leader Nagma accused him of crying foul for questioning Sonia Gandhi because she is a widow of a former PM.
He definitely needs help.He is utterly vicious lying first he maligns a woman a widow of a ExPM she has sacrificed her entire life,benefitted the poor through policies, he attacks her entire family nw cry’s foul his entire life is based on lies.He is a dramatic coward crying foul https://t.co/Bs8Z38MHeB
Congress spokesperson Akhilesh Singh seems to have thought of competing with his colleague Alka Lamba on who puts up more despicable tweets.
खबर आ रही है एक मोटरसाइकिल सवार को देख कर गू स्वामी का पाजामा गीला हो गया और यह सुन कर माईडीयर कामन जेन्डर गू पात्र गटर की गैस से मूर्क्षित हो गया है ??
Earlier, Lamba had hailed Yuva Congress after Goswami released a video stating that the two men who had attacked him were Yuva Congress workers.
Attack on Arnab Goswami
In the intervening night of 22nd and 23rd April, after his regular edit call post the 10 PM debate, Arnab Goswami and his wife were driving back home when two bike-borne assailants attacked their car. According to our sources, the assailants parked their bike in front of Arnab Goswami’s car in order to get him to stop the car and then attacked it. Arnab Goswami and his wife have escaped unhurt. The assailants, after attacking the car and trying to break the windows, also threw ink at the car. According to Republic TV, the goons confessed that they were from Congress and the attack took place only 500 meters away from Goswami’s residence, according to Republic TV.
US President Donald Trump has sent a strict warning to Iran stating that the US Navy won’t tolerate harassment in the sea by fellow Iranian ships. Donald Trump said, “I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.”
I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.
As per reports, last week, the US military chief had accused Iran of provocative actions in the volatile waterway. However, Iran dismissed the reports as ‘baseless’ and claimed that ‘illegal and aggressive’ presence of the US in the gulf waterways is causing uncertainty in the region. Defence Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said, “What leads to insecurity in the Persian Gulf region is actually the illegal and aggressive presence of the Americans who have come from the other end of the world to our borders and make such baseless claims.”
The US military had reported last week that 11 vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) came dangerously close to the US navy’s six warships in a ‘dangerous and provocative way’ in the Persian Gulf. Such clashes are common occurrences in the gulf waterways a few years ago but had been largely stopped.
The US ships issued several warnings through bridge to bridge radio, blasts from the ships’ horns and long-range acoustic noise maker devices.
The US Military in a statement said, “The IRGCN’s dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision, and were not in accordance with the internationally recognized Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “We’ve talked as a team. We’re evaluating how best to respond and how best to communicate our displeasure with what took place.”
As per reports, close interactions with the Iranian military vessels were not common in 2016-17. Several times, US Navy fired warning shots at Iranian vessels as warning shots.
Iran refuted the claims
Iran had refuted the claims of harassment by the Iran navy made by the US calling it ‘baseless’ and termed the presence of the US in the Gulf waterway as ‘illegal and aggressive’.
The IRGN stated, “We advise the Americans to follow international regulations and maritime protocols in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and to refrain from any adventurism and false and fake stories. They should be assured that the Revolutionary Guards navy and the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran sees the dangerous actions of foreigners in the region as a threat to national security and its red line and any error in the calculation on their part will receive a decisive response.”
Timed with Iranian military satellite launch?
The US president’s tweet seems to have come hours after the launch of Iran’s first military satellite ‘Noor’ from a mobile launch vehicle. Though the exact role and capabilities of the satellite are not clear, it is seen as a rare success by the Iranian authorities after repeated failures. US Secretary of Space Mike Pompeo had condemned the launch and called it a violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.
In a shocking incident, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami was attacked by two goons in the wee hours of the night.
In the intervening night of 22nd and 23rd April, Arnab Goswami and his wife were driving back home when two bike-borne assailants attacked their car. According to Republic TV, the goons confessed that they were from Congress and the attack took place only 500 meters away from Goswami’s residence.
Following the horrific attack on him, Republic TV’s Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami released a video narrated the incident.
Narrating the incident, Arnab Goswami said that he and his wife were driving back to their residence around 12.15 AM at Ganpatrao Kadam Marg when he noticed two bike-borne men kept driving parallel to him for a while looking inside his car.
Arnab added that the two bike-borne assailants suddenly overtook his car and stopped their bike. As he tried to avoid them and drive away, the men began hitting on his car’s window, in an attempt to break it.
According to Arnab Goswami, he then attempted to escape the attackers by driving to his left, but the Congress party goons began throwing liquid-filled bottles at his car. He ultimately stepped on the gas and swerved his car away from the spot.
Arnab Goswami said that the duo was then ultimately caught by his security personnel who were following behind him.
Attackers belonged to Congress party
Arnab added that his security detail later informed him that the attackers belonged to Youth Congress workers, who confessed that they were given instructions by their higher-ups to carry out the attack.
Later in the night, Arnab went to the nearby police station to file a complaint. Republic TV has claimed that the Mumbai police has refused to name the Youth Congress attackers in the FIR.
“Bring it on Sonia Gandhi”, says Arnab Goswami
In a video released after the attack, Arnab went on to hold Sonia Gandhi personally responsible for the attack while asserting that neither he or his network will be cowed down by the attack.
“I just want to tell you Sonia Gandhi, you are the biggest coward in the country right now. You (Sonia Gandhi) tried to carry out an attack against me when I was driving back from work. You have no guts,” said Arnab Goswami while holding Congress interim-chief Sonia Gandhi for attacks against him and his wife.
“I will hold you personally responsible for any consequences and any attack on me. If anything ever happens to me, it is Sonia Gandhi and Vadra family, who cannot take my questions, are responsible,” added Arnab Goswami.
Arnab Goswami asserted that he has the support of the people of the country and challenged Sonia Gandhi asking her to “Bring it on”.
Arnab Goswami attacked for questioning Sonia Gandhi’s silence over Palghar mob-lynching
Congress leaders and journalists who identify themselves as neutral on Wednesday had attacked Arnab Goswami after the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief questioned UPA chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi over her silence on Palghar mob-lynching in which two Hindu Sadhus and a driver were killed by an unruly mob.
Launching an attack against Sonia Gandhi, Arnab Goswami had questioned if she would have maintained the silence she is exhibiting today had Christian padres been killed instead of Hindu sadhus in the horrifying lynching incident in Palghar. However, soon after, Congress leaders and many journalists started abusing Arnab and by extension Prime Minister Modi implying he was responsible for Arnab questioning Sonia Gandhi’s silence.
Hours after Republic TV Editor in Chief Arnab Goswami was attacked allegedly by youth Congress goons on instructions of ‘higher ups’ to ‘teach him a lesson’, Congress leader Alka Lamba hailed Yuva Congress workers.
युवा काँग्रेस जिंदाबाद 🙂 ???.
— Alka Lamba – अलका लाम्बा?? (@LambaAlka) April 22, 2020
The despicable tweet came just an hour after Goswami released a video stating that little past midnight on 23rd April, he and his wife were attacked by two bike-borne people.
Arnab Goswami’s video message
In above video, Goswami alleges how the two men who tailed him and his wife and attacked them just few metres away from his home were associated with Yuva Congress. He further alleges that the Yuva Congress duo were instructed by higher ups in the party to ‘teach him a lesson’ for questioning Sonia Gandhi’s silence over Palghar sadhu lynching.
Prior to her despicable tweet, Lamba had also threatened that unless Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray takes any action against Goswami, Yuva Congress leaders would take to street.
देशभर के कार्यकर्ता #ArnabGoswami द्वारा काँग्रेस अध्यक्षा सोनिया गांधी जी पर दिए गए ब्यान को लेकर बेहद आहत हैं,
अगर समय रहते @CMOMaharashtra ने उचित क़ानूनी कार्यवाही नहीं की तो मैं यह #चेतावनी दे रही हूँ कि फिर काँग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं को सड़को पर उतर आने से कोई नहीं रोक पायेगा. https://t.co/fBBBnnqFj2
— Alka Lamba – अलका लाम्बा?? (@LambaAlka) April 22, 2020
She had called upon the Yuva Congress workers take to streets ‘without thinking’ as apparently, criticism against Sonia Gandhi was worse than coronavirus.
Congress leader Alka Lamba
Former Aam Aadmi Party MLA and now Congress leader Alka Lamba had earlier engaged in a Twitter fight with Olympic medalist and questioned his parentage. During the run-up to 2019 general elections, Lamba had made a racist comment on PM Modi’s election campaign ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ and said that ‘chowkidar to Nepal se bhi mangwa sakte hai’. When former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was struggling with terminal illness, Lamba had made a crass comment on his health to spread canards about Rafale deal. She has also regularly indulged in spreading fake surveys to show increasing popularity of herself as well as her party.
In a shocking incident, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has been attacked by two goons in the wee hours of the night. In the intervening night of 22nd and 23rd April, after his regular edit call post the 10 PM debate, Arnab Goswami and his wife were driving back home when two bike-borne assailants attacked their car. According to our sources, the assailants parked their bike in front of Arnab Goswami’s car in order to get him to stop the car and then attacked it.
Here is the exclusive footage accessed by OpIndia of the car that was attacked by the assailants who were from Congress.
From what is known so far, Arnab Goswami and his wife have escaped unhurt. The assailants, after attacking the car and trying to break the windows, also threw ink at the car. According to Republic TV, the goons confessed that they were from Congress and the attack took place only 500 meters away from Goswami’s residence, according to Republic TV.
According to sources, the Congress goons hurled bottles at the car and hurled abuses at Arnab Goswami for questioning Sonia Gandhi for being silent on Palghar lynching.
The assailants have been held at the NM Joshi Marg Police Station in Mumbai.
Congress leaders and journalists who identify themselves as neutral on Wednesday had attacked Arnab Goswami after the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief questioned UPA chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi over her silence on Palghar mob-lynching in which two Hindu Sadhus and a driver were killed by an unruly mob.
Launching an attack against Sonia Gandhi, Arnab Goswami had questioned if she would have maintained the silence she is exhibiting today had Christian padres been killed instead of Hindu sadhus in the horrifying lynching incident in Palghar. However, soon after, Congress leaders and many journalists started abusing Arnab and by extension Prime Minister Modi implying he was responsible for Arnab questioning Sonia Gandhi’s silence.
The Special cell of Delhi police has booked the suspended Aam Aadmi Party leader and councillor Tahir Hussain under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with communal violence in Northeast Delhi.
Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain is accused in the brutal murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) employee Ankit Sharma and also inciting riots in the Delhi in February this year.
The dead body of an Intelligence Bureau constable was recovered from a drain in North East Delhi amidst anti-Hindu riots in the national capital. Ankit Sharma, who lived in Chand Bagh, was returning home on Tuesday evening when he was allegedly attacked by a violent mob on the Chand Bagh bridge and beaten to death. The Muslim mob had thrown his body into a drain.
Earlier Tahir Hussain was booked under sections 365 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 201 (disappearance of evidence or giving false information) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the case of the alleged murder of the IB official. He was arrested on 5 March by Delhi police after remaining absconding for several days. He was arrested after he had gone to a Delhi court to surrender, and the court had rejected the plea saying that the matter was not in its jurisdiction.
On February 27, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had suspended Councillor Tahir Hussain from the primary membership of the party after he was named in the murder FIR. He is in judicial custody at present.
Delhi police has also arrested former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan and activist Khalid Saifi in the case.
Umar Khalid booked under UAPA
Yesterday, JNU student leader Umar Khalid was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a case related to the anti-Hindu riots in Delhi. Two other leaders from the Jamia Coordination Committee, Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar, were booked under the same Act. The two are now in judicial custody after they were arrested last week. The Police has claimed in the FIR that the communal violence was a “premeditated conspiracy” by Khalid and others.
The ‘activists’ have also been booked on charges of sedition, murder, attempt to murder, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and rioting. The FIR says that Umar Khalid had delivered provocative speeches at two different locations and appealed to citizens to hit the streets and block roads during the visit by US President Donald Trump to spread propaganda at the international level about minorities being attacked in India. The FIR also claimed that in this conspiracy, firearms, petrol bombs, acid bottles and stones were collected at numerous homes.
