On Thursday, the Nainital Police had registered a fresh case of fraud and criminal conspiracy was registered against six people, including Abdul Malik and his wife Safia, in connection with the Haldwani violence.
Haldwani Violence: The Uttarakhand Police on Saturday arrested Abdul Malik, the alleged mastermind of the Haldwani violence, from Delhi, while his son and co-accused, Abdul Moid, remains on the run. A senior official said that the Nainital Police had formed six teams to search for Malik and his son across different states.
#WATCH | Nainital Police has reached Haldwani after arresting Abdul Malik, the mastermind of the violence that took place on February 8 in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani, from Delhi. pic.twitter.com/QRlONTSVIj
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024
“Six teams were formed to search for Malik and his son Abdul Moid in different states including Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” Nainital SSP Prahlad Narayan Meena told reporters.
The Nainital Police chief said that one of these nabbed Malik from Delhi but his son is still on absconding and efforts are underway to trace and arrest him at the earliest.
Malik and his wife Safia are among six persons booked for criminal conspiracy and fraudulently using a dead man’s name for illegal plotting, construction and transfer of land, Meena said.
#WATCH | Haldwani Violence | Uttarakhand: PHQ spokesperson IG Nilesh Bharne says, “Abdul Malik has been arrested from Delhi (in the case of violence that took place on February 8 in Banbhoolpura, Haldwani). The Nainital Police team is carrying the investigation further. Soon they… pic.twitter.com/pYSE9FjNA2
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024
The prime accused, regarded as the ‘mastermind’ behind the February 8 riots in which six people were killed and over a hundred cops and journalist sustained injuries, had allegedly built an “illegal” madrasa in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani whose demolition triggered violence in the area.
Malik had vehemently opposed the administration’s action and his wife Safia had gone to the court challenging the Municipal Corporation notice for its demolition.
Fresh case against Malik, his wife
On Thursday, the Nainital Police had registered a fresh case of fraud and criminal conspiracy was registered against six people, including Abdul Malik and his wife, in connection with the Haldwani violence.
The accused have been charged with hatching a criminal conspiracy to mislead the government departments and the court on the basis of false affidavits, SSP Meena had said.
They have been booked under sections 120B(criminal conspiracy), 417 (cheating) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC, Meena told reporters.
Earlier, three FIRs were registered in connection with the incident.
A look-out notice against Malik and his son Abdul Moid was issued earlier and their property in the town attached.
#WATCH | Haldwani | The houses of Abdul Malik and his son Abdul Moeed, wanted in the Banbhulpura riots, are being attached in Banbhulpura. At present, police and administration teams including Harbans Singh SP City Haldwani, Sangeeta CO Lalkuan, Sachin Tehsildar Haldwani, DR… pic.twitter.com/9ImUtaR8A7
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 16, 2024
Around 80 people have been arrested so far in connection with the Haldwani riots.
Haldwani violence
Violent protests broke out in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on February 8 after an illegally built madrasa was demolished by authorities. Rioters clashed with the police, hurling stones stones and petrol bombs at municipal workers and cops, forcing many police personnel to seek refuge at a police station, which the mob then set on fire.
In the violence, six rioters were killed and more than a hundred, including police personnel and mediapersons, were injured, police said.
(With PTI inputs)