Sunday, August 19, 2012

NGOs’ funds source comes under cop lens

KHAKI COVER: Police personnel were deployed in large numbers in south Mumbai in view of the BJP’s morcha against the desecration of the Martyrs’ Memorial on August 11

EVENING OF ANARCHY

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: The crime branch, probing the August 11 violence following a rally at Azad Maidan, will now check the source of funding of some of the NGOs that had participated in the protest. Sources said the police will verify the credentials of people who had donated money to these NGOs.

Two youths were killed and more than 50 people were injured in the violence.
Raza Academychairman SaeedNoori,whohad participated in the protest rally, said his partial statement has been recorded. “The police have summoned me again to record my complete statement,” said Noori, adding that the investigators have asked him about funds his organization receives. “I told them about the source of our funds and they are satisfied,” said Noori.

The Raza Academy, whichis mainly intothe publishing of Islamic books and literature, is one of the organizers of last Saturday’s rally. It actively participates in dharnas and morchas. The organization was founded in 1978 but is yet to be registered, said Noori.

The police have also received information about the residenceof thetwoboys who had desecrated the Amar Jawan memorial. “The problem is that we have received information from a couple of sources and they have given us three to four addresses for the youths. We have passed on this information to the special investigation team (SIT) and asked them to verify the boys’ names and addresses,” said a crime branch officer.

Videos and photographs show two youths vandalizing the memorial during the riots. The identity of the two boys is yet to be ascertained, said the police.

Meanwhile, Saleem Chaukiya, who has been booked for stealing a cop’s self-loading rifle (SLR) during the violence, has told the investigators that he did not snatch the gun. “I was carrying the gun to hand it over to the policemen,” Chaukiya has reportedly told the sleuths. So far, the police have arrested 24 youths on charges of rioting, murder, attempt to murder, molestation and dacoity.

The police are also examining the role of at least six youths who claim to be innocent. “They will be discharged if we find that they were not involved in the rioting,” the officer added. So far, cops have identified 60 people from news footage and photographs. It is learnt that these people will be picked by for questioning after Eid.

Probe Report
• The police have received information about the residence of the two boys who had desecrated the
Amar Jawan memorial

• The special investigation team will verify these boys’ names and addresses

• The police have so far identified nearly 60 people who were involved in the violence from news footage and photographs

BJP hits out at CM over riots T he BJP on Saturday organized a march from Vasudev Balwant Phadke Chowk (Metro circle) to Azad Maidan to condemn the desecration of the Amar Jawan memorial during the August 11 riots. Over 1,500 people participated in the march amid heavy police bandobast. The BJP also turned the heat on chief minister Prithviraj Chavan over the riots. While reiterating the party’s demand for the resignation of home minister RR Patil and police commissioner Arup Patnaik, BJP’s city unit chief Raj Purohit slammed the CM for not announcing an independent judicial inquiry into the violence. The BJP has demanded a probe by an acting high court judge into the incident. “What is holding Chavan back? Why is he hesitating to order a judicial inquiry,” Purohit questioned. BJP leader Ram Naik criticized PM Manmohan Singh of not visiting the memorial during his visit to the city. TNN