New Delhi, April 27: A court here on Monday sent arrested Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association President Shifa Ul Rahman to 10-day custody of Delhi Police Special Cell, with police claiming that "anti-CAA protests at the varsity and other parts of Delhi were funded from the Middle East". "... it is revealed that accused Shifa Ur Rehman received funds from members of alumni association of Jamia Millia Islamia based in Middle East countries and he was co-coordinating at the protest sites," the Delhi Police Special Cell said in its application to seek 12-day police remand of the accused. Rahman was presented in Patiala House Courts earlier in the day, sources told IANS.

Seeking his remand, police told the court that Rahman's name had popped up during the questioning of Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi, Meeran Haider, Safora Zargar, Gulfisa, Tahir Hussain, and three members of the Popular Front of India (PFI). "Shifa-Ur-Rehman is also found actively involved in a conspiracy hatched in setting up anti CAA/NPR/NRC protests at various sites in Delhi, giving hate speeches that led to the riots in February 2020 at various protest sites, i.e., Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, Seelampur, Khureji, Inderlok and Hauz Rani," the document said. Anti-CAA Agitation: '66 Protests, 99 Arrests, 11 Cases Registered in Delhi', Says MHA in Lok Sabha.

Rahman along with JMI members, namely Areeb and Badre Alam, and other members of JCC visited various protest sites in Delhi to coordinate the protests. He was arrested by the Special Cell on Sunday under Sections 120B read with 124A, 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) along with other sections of the Indian Penal Code and 3 & 4 of Prevention of Damage of Public Property Act 1984, 25/27 of Arms Act, and 13, 16, 17 and 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

During questioning, he allegedly admitted that he was president of AAJMI (Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia) and member of JCC (Jamia Co-ordination Committee). Police also claimed he admitted that he was actively involved in recent anti- CAA/NPR/NRC protests organized by the JCC with the support of several other student groups/organizations which finally resulted in the riots. While the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police is investigating the February riots, the Special Cell is probing the larger conspiracy behind the same.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 27, 2020 08:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).