Campus Front member held on way to Hathras ‘accused in 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots’ — UP Police

Atiq-ur-Rahman is one of four men arrested on their way to Hathras last month. Campus Front of India has denied Rahman’s involvement in 2013 riots.

People gather at the Jantar Mantar to demand justice for the Hathras gangrape victim, on 2 October | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

New Delhi: One of the Campus Front of India (CFI) members arrested along with a Kerala journalist on the way to Hathras last month is also an accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case, police investigations are learnt to have found.

A source in the Uttar Pradesh Police told ThePrint the man has been identified as Atiq-ur-Rahman.

The CFI is the student wing of the Popular Front of India (PFI), an organisation that claims to be committed to ensuring justice and freedom for Muslims but has been under the scanner for alleged radical activities. 

Rahman was one of two CFI members arrested in Uttar Pradesh when they were allegedly on their way Hathras, along with a journalist from Kerala, Siddique Kappan, and a fourth man, to cover the gangrape and murder case that rocked the state last month. They have since been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), which is usually invoked for anti-terrorism charges. 

According to the source, investigation in the UAPA case revealed that Rahman was an accused in one of the cases stemming from the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, which killed 62 people, and had been at large since. 

A warrant in Rahman’s name has now been served by the Muzaffarnagar police, the source added. ThePrint tried to call Muzaffarnagar Superintendent of Police Abhishek Yadav to ask if a warrant has been issued against Rahman, but his phone was switched off. The query has been sent to him by text, and this report will be updated when he responds.

The CFI has denied the allegations against Rahman, saying they are a bid to frame him.

‘He was at large’

In the Hathras matter, the charges against Rahman and the three others — Kappan, CFI member Masood Ahmed, and a man identified as Alam — include “raising funds for terrorist act”, sedition, promoting enmity between groups, and for “malicious acts, intending to outrage religious feelings”. 

They have also been booked under sections of the IT Act that pertain to tampering and breach of confidentiality and privacy, among other things, and are in jail in Mathura, where they were arrested. 

The FIR against them is one of many filed by UP Police in connection with the Hathras incident, with the state government alleging attempts to disturb peace in the state, sedition, conspiracy and promoting religious hatred. The alleged gangrape took place on 14 September and involved a Dalit victim, who died two weeks later, and suspects from the upper castes.

Speaking to ThePrint, the UP Police source said Rahman had managed to escape and relocate after the Muzaffarnagar riots. 

“He had been on the run. When his antecedents were checked for the investigation in the UAPA case, it was found that he was an accused in the riots in which many lives were lost,” the source added.

“He had managed to escape and relocated himself soon after the riots. Since then, he had been staying in the Batla House area in Southeast Delhi,” the source said. “Since he has now been found, his arrest will be in that case too and he will be charge-sheeted,” the source added.

The source also said the investigation had revealed Rahman was in Northeast Delhi this February, when it erupted in communal riots that killed 53 people. No evidence, however, was found to show his “involvement” in the riots, the source added.

“His location was in Northeast Delhi on those dates when the riots happened, but we have not been able to gather any evidence that may establish his involvement,” the source said. “If that happens, Delhi Police will be contacted.”

‘He was a juvenile at that time’

Rahman, it is learnt, has been associated with the CFI for the last four years. Speaking to ThePrint, CFI national president M.S. Sajid said the UP Police’s allegations are baseless and without any concrete evidence.

“Rahman was 17 when the (Muzaffarnagar) riots happened. He was a juvenile, a kid. These allegations are baseless. UP Police does not have enough evidence to keep either Kappan or Rahman and Masood in jail. They are now scurrying for something that they can pile on them to keep them behind bars,” he added.

“Now, if they say that Rahman was involved in the Muzaffarnagar riots, it gives them an opportunity to arrest him again and keep him behind bars and that is all they want,” he added.

Sajid said both Rahman and Masood have been associated with the CFI for a long time and are not involved in any such case. “They are just being targeted,” he added.