Ferozepur Jhirka Congress MLA Mamman Khan booked under UAPA

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, February 21

In what has led to a major uproar in Ferozpur Jhirka block of Nuh district, local Congress MLA Mamman Khan has been slapped with the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (UAPA). Relevant Sections have been added to a challan presented in the court against him. The police claim that Mamman Khan was allegedly running a dedicated IT cell to flare up communal tension by spreading provocative messages during Nuh riots on July 31 last year.

Mamman Khan’s supporters seek same sections against cow vigilantes Bajrangi and Manesar, claiming that they had committed grave acts during the riots.

He has also been accused of paying people to attack the Braj Mandal Yatra and create a ruckus.

The district Congress unit has come in support of Khan, alleging witch-hunting. Senior party leader and Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed said the police had so far failed to provide any concrete evidence to include those Sections and claimed it was a mere cover-up by the Khattar government.

No fresh evidence, why new Sections?

The allegations are the same for the past seven months after the FIR. No supplementary statements have been made or new evidence has come. Khan was investigated by the SIT, so what new basis make the Nuh police believe that he qualifies for the UAPA? No murder or injury is mentioned in the FIR. It is politically motivated. We will contest it. —Tahir Ruparia, Mamman Khan’s advocate

“Mamman Khan is not a terrorist, but a democratically elected representative who stood against cow vigilantism and hooliganism. He is being framed. The police failed to prove anything against him and thus are now misusing the UAPA. We want an independent agency to look into it,” said a close associate of Khan.