Delhi riots accused claims threat to life

nNEWDELHI: Shahrukh Pathan, who was caught on tape pointing a gun at a policeman during the riots in north-east Delhi in February, moved a city court on Saturday claiming threat to his life inside Tihar jail. The 23-year-old’s photograph, which showed him with a gun on the streets of Jafrabadmaujpur road in north-east Delhi, had gone viral.

Pathan on Saturday also sought court’s help in issuing directions to Tihar jail authorities to continue his incarceration in the high-risk prisoners’ cell.

Inside the prison, a high-risk cell is guarded round-the-clock by armed guards, and inmates lodged in this cell are not mixed with other prisoners.

Pathan, who was arrested on March 3, said in his plea that he has been informed by the jail authorities that he would be transferred from high-risk prisoners’ jail to another cell for general inmates/prisoners.

The plea stated that the Pathan wants “to continue in the highrisk prisoners’ cell as there is a threat to his life and there is apprehension that any untoward can take place at any point of time if he is shifted with general prisoners”.

The plea will be heard on July 29.On May 1, the Delhi Police filed a 350-page charge-sheet against Pathan and two others -- Kaleem Ahmad and Ishtiyak Mallik -- in connection with the case.

Also on Saturday, another city court granted one more month to Delhi police to complete probe in a case against the president of Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia, Shifa-ur-rehman who was arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the riots.

The police told the court that Shifa-ur-rehman, being the president of AAJMI, collected funds from suspicious and unaccounted sources.

Rehman, also a member of Jamia Coordination Committee, was booked for alleged involvement in the riots and was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in April.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana on Friday allowed the special cell to complete its probe by August 24, after the agency sought more time claiming that the case was related to a “deep-rooted and large scale conspiracy behind the riot incidents” and that its searches in other states were being hindered due to the coronavirus lockdown.