New Delhi: One of the accused involved in the killing of the tailor in Udaipur was in touch with a Pakistan-based Sunni Islamic organisation, Dawat-e-Islami, and had also visited the neighbouring country in 2014, Rajasthan Director General of Police said Wednesday.
“During the investigation, it was found that the accused, Ghouse Mohammad, was in touch with the organisation and had even made a visit,” Rajasthan DGP Mohan Lal Lather said at a press conference.
“Ghouse Mohammad had visited Dawat-e-Islami in Karachi in February 2014,” the top officer said.
Founded in 1981 by Maulana Ilyas Attari in Karachi, the Dawat-e-Islami has been associated with several incidents of violence– linked to the issue of blasphemy – across the world but is also known for conducting charitable activities. The group also has branches in India. Those associated with the organisation add “Attari” to their names.
A day after the incident, the Home Ministry directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe into the killing of the tailor. “The involvement of any organisation and international links will be thoroughly investigated,” the ministry said in a tweet.
The anti-terror agency has registered a case against the accused and booked them under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The case has been registered under IPC sections 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) , 302(murder), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) & 34 (common intention).
“Rajasthan Police is also probing into the cross-border links and collecting technical evidence,” the DGP said.
The DGP said that the two arrested — Bhilwara resident Riyaz Attari and Udaipur’s Ghouse Mohammed – are the main accused so far.
“Besides them, we have taken three others into our custody, with whom they were in contact,” the DGP said.
The DGP also mentioned that Kanhaiya Lal Teli was arrested few weeks before he was killed on the basis of a complaint lodged against him, accusing him of making an’ objectionable post’ and hurting religious sentiments.
“Kanhaiya Lal had submitted an application citing threats on 15 June. The concerned SHO assigned the concerned ASI to speak to both sides. During this time, there was massive criticism over certain remarks at the national and internal level. The atmosphere was tense. Both sides reached a settlement and ended the matter. The police didn’t take any legal action. The ASI and SHO have been suspended. We will take action against anyone involved in this — official and common man,” the DGP said, adding that both parties had given in writing that they had ended the matter.
The DGP said that while no link has surfaced between the accused and the complainant Nazim Ahmed and others involved in the settlement, the probe into the other party is ongoing.
“No relation between them and the accused has surfaced. Police are probing if there is some other channel. Till now investigation has revealed that the accused and those settlement groups are different. Nazim Ahmed is Kanhaiya’s neighbour,” the officer said.
Police said that so far no previous criminal record of the two accused.
(Edited by Monami Gogoi)
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