Nagpur, March 21 (IANS) Faheem Khan, the principal accused in the recent Nagpur riots, was apprehended on March 18 and has since filed a bail plea, alleging that his arrest is the result of a political conspiracy.
Khan has been accused of inciting the crowd and provoking unrest. The riots, which have shaken the city, saw Faheem Khan, identified as the mastermind, taken into custody and subsequently remanded to police detention.
His bail plea is expected to be taken up for hearing soon.
On Friday, he approached the High Court, seeking bail on the grounds that his arrest was politically motivated.
He contends that his name has been unfairly implicated in the case as an act of political vendetta.
On March 19, Faheem Khan, the city president of the Minorities Democratic Party, was taken into custody, just two days after the riots and incidents of arson that shook Nagpur.
Initially placed under police remand, his detention was extended to judicial custody on Friday due to concerns over his deteriorating health.
The authorities have indicated their intention to seek his custody again at a later stage.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Khan has moved the Nagpur district sessions court, filing a bail application that is expected to be heard on March 24.
The events leading up to the riots began when Faheem Khan, accompanied by a significant gathering, visited the Ganeshpeth police station to lodge a formal complaint.
He alleged that activists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal had desecrated Aurangzeb’s symbolic grave and burned his portrait in the Mahal Gandhigate area.
The desecration reportedly involved a green sheet inscribed with ‘Aayat’, which, according to Faheem Khan and Shamim Khan of the Minority Democratic Party, deeply offended religious sentiments.
This act, they claimed, incited anger among the youth, culminating in the riots.
Faheem Khan, leading a group of 40 to 50 youths, submitted a statement to the Ganeshpeth Police Inspector, demanding legal action against those responsible for the desecration.
The police assured him of action and sent him away.
However, as the group passed through the Gandhigate area, slogans were raised, leading to a heated argument.
Within two hours, the situation escalated into stone-pelting, with a large crowd taking to the streets and targeting the police.
Faheem Khan is accused of instigating this violence.
In his petition, Faheem Khan asserts that his involvement in the riots is a fabrication, driven by political malice.
He argues that mere mention in an FIR does not equate to active participation in the violence.
Meanwhile, law enforcement has intensified its crackdown, arresting 14 additional individuals on Friday, bringing the total number of arrests to 105, including 10 juveniles.
The case continues to unfold, with investigations underway and the city grappling with the aftermath of the unrest.
–IANS
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