Lucknow: A card showing membership number of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), pictures with senior party leaders including defence minister Rajnath Singh and MP Mahesh Sharma, links to videos targeting minority community, and posts supporting anti-CAA protests gunman. These are the highlights of Facebook profile of Sachin Pandit.
Sachin, along with one more person, Shubham Kumar, was arrested for allegedly opening fire on All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s vehicle Thursday evening. Some of the pictures from his Facebook page were deleted hours after his arrest. In some of the images, seen by ThePrint, he can also be seen posing with arms.
“On the basis of a complaint from Yamin Khan, the representative of MP Asaduddin Owaisi, an FIR has been lodged under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) in Pilukhwa police station of Hapur district and two persons Sachin and Shubham have been arrested and two pistols each have been recovered from them. An Alto car used during the incident has also been recovered. So far, the facts that have come to fore are that the duo resorted to the incident after being hurt by the provocative speeches of the MP and his anger or comments on the Ayodhya temple issue during 2013-14,” Prashant Kumar, ADG (law and order), said Friday.
While Sachin was arrested from Greater Noida, Shubham was arrested from Saharanpur.
Days before the attack, Sachin had also shared on his Facebook page a video of Owaisi’s remark that “people should remember that Yogi will not remain CM for long and Modi will not remain PM for long.” The snapshot of the now-deleted post was shared by an online news portal Tricity Today. In his post, Sachin also questioned those talking about Hindu-Muslim unity.
The UP Police said Sachin and Shubham were triggered by AIMIM leader’s remarks on a “particular religion”.
Meanwhile, sources said it is likely that the two accused met each other through social media. “Sachin is the brain behind the incident who also involved Shubham in the plan. They possibly met through social media,” a police source said.
“The accused also shared some posts before the crime on Thursday,” the source said.
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Who is Sachin Pandit?
Sachin Pandit, who describes himself as “Deshbhakt Sachin Hindu” on Facebook, is a native of Greater Noida’s Duryayi village.
A law student at Ghaziabad’s MMH College, Pandit has been active in student politics and has posted several pictures on Facebook with local Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha and ABVP leaders.
In the past, he has also posted images and videos of UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and has shared content targeting Muslims.
Days after a court granted bail in August last year to Ram Bhakt Gopal, the man who opened fire at anti-CAA protesters in Delhi in 2020, Pandit shared posts in support of the accused.
In a social media post shared on 7 July 2019, Pandit shared a photo of a BJP membership card. And then followed several photographs with senior party leaders taken during public gatherings and college events.
The Print reached UP BJP spokespersons and state media in-charge over Pandit’s photos with party leaders, but there was no response till the time of publishing this report.
‘True nationalist’
His friends say Sachin was a “true nationalist” and that “they could not imagine” he could take such an extreme step.
One of his friends, Nitin, said the villagers had no clue about the incident until the media reported it.
“He would even give money to children around for studies and would inspire them towards nation service. He was engaged in community service throughout. He is my friend, so I was hurt to hear this but he was not like that. I am unaware of his intentions. He completed studies and has been a student leader in the college” he said.
A resident of his village, Bhopal Singh, said they couldn’t imagine that Sachin would do such a thing. “What happened suddenly…we don’t know, we are sad. He would hoist the flag on 26 January, Independence Day in national interest by gathering children but would never misguide them. He would ask them to study,” he said.
“We are from the same clan so I feel very sad that he has spoiled his life,” he added.
While police say that Pandit held no major position with any party, sources said his activities fell in the category of “extremism.”
“His family members have been questioned by the GB Nagar police and senior officers have also spoken to the accused directly after coordinating with the Hapur police. So far, it is clear that he held no major post, but his ideas were extreme,” a source said.
Oppn targets BJP
Meanwhile, condemning the attack on Owaisi, leaders of opposition parties attacked the ruling BJP.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad said what else could be expected from supporters of a CM who openly incites the crowd. “The attack on Owaisi reveals the poor governance and administration of the state,” he tweeted.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot, who was in Noida to campaign for Congress candidates said that there was no place for violence in politics, adding that the Election Commission should take action in the case.
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