Possibility that firing at Shaheen Bagh part of larger conspiracy, police tells court

The police custody of the accused involved in the firing incident at Shaheen Bagh was extended by two days, a Delhi Court ordered on Tuesday. The Delhi police asserted that the incident could be a part of a larger conspiracy.

New Delhi:A court on Tuesday extended by two days police custody of Kapil Baisala, arrested for firing in the air in Shaheen Bagh area during an anti-CAA protest after the Delhi Police told it there was a possibility that the incident was a part of a larger conspiracy.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gurmohina Kaur extended by two days the police custody of Baisala.

The police had sought four-day remand of Baisala, saying the agency only had one day to investigate the matter.

"Time and place of the incident clearly indicate that the incident of using firearms is a part of a larger conspiracy which is to be unearthed. He (Baisala) is associated with different groups on WhatsApp. He is to be interrogated regarding the other members of these groups keeping in view the possibility of a larger conspiracy," the investigating officer said.

He further said investigation has revealed that his WhatsApp account was purposely deleted.

"The account has been retrieved and most of the data has been recovered. Due to shortage of time, it could not be analysed. The data is bulky in nature and he needs to be confronted with it," the police said.

It added that Baisala also needs to be confronted with his friend who had accompanied him to the site of the incident.

"His friend is being interrogated at length in order to ascertain his involvement. Data in his friend's phone is also being scrutinised. The investigation is at an initial stage. The case is very serious and sensitive in nature which requires in-depth interrogation of the accused.

"Also, Baisala needs to be confronted with his friend. The motive of firing needs to be ascertained. He is changing his version and not cooperating with the investigating agency. Identity of the supplier of the recovered firearm is yet to be ascertained. He is misguiding the agency by changing his versions regarding supplier again and again," the probe agency said.

Advocates M S Sisodia and Akhil Rexwal, appearing for Baisala, opposed the remand plea saying the probe agency has seized his mobile and all other relevant materials required for the investigation.

"The offences are bailable in nature. What will they do with my WhatsApp chats? What links do they want to establish? Where else do they need to take me," Sisodia asked.

On February 1, Baisala had fired two rounds in the air at Shaheen Bagh, where anti-CAA protests are being held for over a month now.

After being overpowered by police personnel, he had chanted "Jai Shri Ram" and said, "hamare desh me aur kisi ki nahi chalegi, sirf Hinduon ki chalegi (only Hindus shall have a say in our country, no one else)," as he was taken into custody by the Delhi Police.

This was the second such incident reported from Shaheen Bagh in a span of three days. A man had fired from a pistol on a group of anti-CAA protesters in the area on Thursday, injuring a student of the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

Meanwhile, the court also sent a wrestler arrested for supplying a weapon to the juvenile who had opened fire on anti-CAA protesters outside Jamia Millia Islamia last week, to fourteen days' judicial custody.

The police told the court that they have recovered a country-made pistol and two live cartridges from Ajeet Singh and case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Arms Act.

On January 30, the juvenile had fired at a group of anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protesters outside the Jamia Millia Islamia injuring a student.

The Juvenile Justice Board had earlier sent the juvenile to 14 days' protective custody.

(PTI Report)