The Uttar Pradesh Police has filed a chargesheet against 11 people in a case related to alleged assault of an elderly Muslim man in Ghaziabad’s Loni area on June 5. Two main accused named Parvesh Gujjar and Kalu Gujjar have been booked under Gangsters Act.
While other accused named Adil, Himanshu, Poli, Shabez, Intzaar, Saddam, Anas, Arif and Babu have been charged under relevant sections of IPC, including involving intimidation, deliberate act to intend outrage religious feelings, rioting, rioting with deadly weapon and others.
The court has not taken cognisance of the chargesheet yet.
According to India Today sources, the chargesheet does not include local Samajwadi Party (SP) worker Umaid Phelwan, who was arrested in Delhi after escaping from police for days and booked under National Security Act. It is ebing reported that a separate chargesheet will be filed against Phelwan.
Uttar Pradesh police has also registered a case against some journalists and social media platform Twitter over spreading “false information”.
After the video of the attack went viral, allegations surfaced the man was targeted because he was Muslim. However, investigations pointed to a different direction. The probe suggested that the incident was related to the sale of a tabeez (amulet) that the victim, Abdul Samad Saifi, claimed had magical effects.
Earlier, he had publicly alleged that the attackers offered him an auto ride, took him to an isolated spot, brutally beat him up, and forced him to chant Jai Shri Ram.
“The main reason was the fight over the amulet which Saifi had given to Praveen. Praveen was disappointed that it didn’t work. Saifi and Praveen are known to each other. Praveen only called others who also were agitated that amulet given to them by Saifi didn’t work,” Ghaziabad Superintendent of Police (Rural) Iraj Raja had said.
The incident came to the fore after a video went viral showing a man hitting Saifi and trying to cut off his beard even as he tries to evade the blows.
According to police, Saifi known to sell amulets in Loni village. Following the assault, he released a video on social media alongside Phelwan, alleging that he was abducted by the two men who took him to an abandoned jungle area and began hitting him.
“The assault lasted for nearly four hours after which they let me go,” Saifi had said.
Iraj Raja said the accused were arrested under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 295A for the deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class.
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