Jahangirpuri LIVE Updates: Congress delegation stopped by police from entering violence-hit area

A five-member Samajwadi Party delegation will visit Delhi Friday to "investigate" the NDMC's demolition drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, they party said.
It said the delegation comprising sitting and former members of parliament has been formed on the instruction of party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
"BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation destroyed Jahangirpuri with bulldozers on April 20. A five-member delegation has been constituted for its investigation," chief SP spokesperson Rajendra Choudhary said Thursday.

A delegation of Congress leaders visited violence-hit Jahangirpuri on Thursday but was stopped by the police from going to the area where an anti-encroachment drive was conducted by the North MCD a day before. The Congress delegation included former Union minister Ajay Maken and AICC in-charge of the state unit Shaktisinh Gohil.

Veteran CPI(M) leader and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday lavished praise on his party colleagues including polit bureau member Brinda Karat for their firm stand taken against the demolition conducted by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) in Jahangirpuri as part of its anti-encroachment drive.

Indian Youth Congress activists were on Thursday detained by the police while staging a protest near Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri's residence against the anti-encroachment drive conducted by the North MCD in violence-hit Jahangirupri a day before, officials said. The IYC activists were detained from the Akbar Road here while they were trying to reach the Union Housing and Urban Affairs minister's residence, they said.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation will follow the Supreme Court's order and not conduct the anti-encroachment drive in violence-hit Jahangirpuri, the civic body's mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said on Thursday but asserted that notices will be sent to encroachers in other areas under its jurisdiction. The mayor's remarks came after the Supreme Court extended the status quo until further orders on the razing of buildings Jahangirpuri area on Thursday.

A day after the NDMC's demolition drive following communal clashes, Jahangirpuri's C-Block, the epicentre of Saturday's violence, witnessed heavy security deployment and barricading as it remained out of bounds for the media, and residents stayed indoors. The air was tense in the area as even the usually bustling Kushal Chowk was calm and shops were shut.

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday launched an attack on the opposition leaders who blamed the BJP-led government after bulldozers rolled into Jahangirpuri for a demolition saying that leaders should understand that "the issue is not about bulldozer rolled for demolition but is to stop the rebellion and the rebels."

A few photos of Ansar with a BMW car are going viral on social media. In one of the photos he was seen putting his leg on the bonnet of the car. The police revealed that the car belonged to a South Delhi-based businessman. It was a disputed BMW car and Ansar had taken its illegal custody using his criminal background. Later he gave the car to someone who lived in West Bengal. The owner of the car had lodged a case with the Delhi Police. Later, the police interrogated Ansar and Ansar brought back BMW car from West Bengal. It was then handed over to its real owner. The Crime Branch is now looking into his West Bengal connections.

Mohammed Ansar Sheikh was also involved in drug supply and had also seized a BMW car belonging to a South Delhi-based businessman. Ansar confessed his involvement in drug peddling. 

A delegation of Congress leaders visited violence-hit Jahangirpuri on Thursday but were stopped by the police from going to the area where an anti-encroachment drive was conducted by the North MCD a day before. The Congress delegation included former Union minister Ajay Maken and AICC in-charge of the state unit Shaktisinh Gohi. The demolition drive conducted by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to remove encroachments was stopped following a Supreme Court on Wednesday. Maken told reporters that the drive was an attack on the poor people and their means of livelihood. Citing court judgements, he said the drive was conducted by violating the rules. "This demolition is illegal. I was an urban development minister too, and I know how laws work. They cannot do this without any prior notice. BJP leaders are lying," Maken said.

According to details available with India TV, hardcore gangsters were involved in stone-pelting during violence in Jahangirpuri. Police have been searching for 20 such gangsters who were recently released from Delhi's Tihar jail. 

The Supreme Court bench said that it we will take a serious view of the demolition which was carried out even after supreme court orders. Notice was issued to North Delhi municipal corporation and others in the case ona plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. The court said that status quo is to be maintained till further orders in Jahangirpuri case. List after 2 weeks and pleadings to be completed till then. SG

Sr Adv Sanjay Hedge appeared for Ganesh Gupta, the juice shop owner: Gupta claimed that he had all the papers. 

SC extends status quo until further orders, issues notice to NDMC, others on plea filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

SC orders to maintain status quo in demolition till further order, case to be listed after 2 weeks 

Senior Advocate Dave says police and civil authorities are bound by the Constitution and not by letters written by a BJP leader and this is a sad scenario.

Kapil Sibal said people in Delhi were locked in their gates, forced to live inside and were not allowed to go outside. Sibal demanded stay on demolition. However, the bench said they cannot stay demolitions across the country. 

Kapil submitted said, "My plea is that such instances are happening in other states also. when processions are carried out and frictions occur, homes of only one community is bulldozed and politics in power judges what happens or not happens. "Look at Madhya pradesh where minister says that if muslims does such a thing they cannot expect justice. Who decides that? Who gave him that power? somebody is in jail his house was demolished, somebody who raped their house also broken down," he added. 

Sr. advocate Dave said in SC that MCD started demolition at 9 am. They went on demolishing even after status quo orders by the Apex court. 

There are over 730 illegal colonies in Delhi but why only Jahangirpuri was targeted. This cases raises far reaching questions of constitutional and national importance. Dave further said "Please see the preamble of the Delhi Municipality Act, where it is noted how there has been immense migration to Delhi and how changes have occurred beyond the Delhi Master plan." Dave pointed out "If this is allowed there will be no rule of law left." "How is this President of BJP writes and asks to start demolition and they start? A 5-15 days notice is a must," he added. 

The Supreme Court on Thursday began hearing a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind against the anti-encroachment drive by North MCD against the alleged encroachers in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area. A SC bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai are hearing the petition. 

Congress delegation reached the violence-hit area on Thursday morning where demolition drive was conducted by Delhi's civic body a day earlier before being stayed by the Supreme Court. 

Ganesh Gupta, an owner of a juice corner has moved to the Supreme Court against MCD demolition drive on Wednesday. He has asked for compensation as he says that he had all the documents and license with him. Part of his shop was demolished on Wednesday as part of anti encroachment drive. 

The Samajwadi Party slammed the BJP over the demolition drive in Jahangirpuri and said that it is the BJP's another attempt to "snatch the bread of the poor."

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said the demolition drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area was "illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional", and called it a "new technique of intimidation" which could take the country's image downhill.

Mohammed Ansar, the prime accused in the Jahangirpuri violence studied up to Class 4 only. After quitting studies due to financial problems he moved towards the world of crime. However, apart from the Jahangirpuri violence case, there are only two cases lodged against him on record and investigation in both the cases is still pending. This could be because the crimes committed by him as a juvenile cannot be taken on record. Ansar was also arrested repeatedly under preventive sections and booked five times under the Gambling Act and the Arms Act. Ansar had initially joined Asaduddin Owaisi's party, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. Later he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, but here too he was not satisfied and quit the party. Finally he joined the Aam Aadmi Party along with Ashwini Bagdi and others. The Delhi Police has mentioned his name in the FIR. He has been accused of provoking the mob and mobilizing people to attack the religious procession.

On April 17, a video went viral on social media, showing a man wearing a blue 'kurta' firing shots with a pistol at a mob during the communal clashes in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area on April 16. The way he was shooting at the mob depicted the brutality of the alleged rioter, who, till that time, was unknown to the police. The viral video mounted pressure on the police to nab him. But before that, the accused had to be first identified. The police, using local intelligence, identified the accused person as 28-year-old Imam alias Sonu alias Yunus, a resident of Jahangirpuri. After identification, it was a challenge for the police to catch the offender before he could escape from the city. On April 18, a team of special staff of the north-west district police went to the C Block in Jahangirpuri in search of Imam at about 1.30 p.m. However, as soon as the team reached the alleged shooter's house, his family members resorted to stone pelting. He was arrested on Monday.

The Supreme Court will hear a petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind today against the demolition drive being carried out by the Municipal Corporation against the alleged encroachers in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri area, where communal clashes broke out on Hanuman Jayanti. A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai will hear the plea.

TMC to send a fact-finding team including its MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar to Delhi's Jahangirpuri area on Friday, April 22: Sources

Brinda Karat has also moved Supreme court against the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. 

A 15 member delegation of Congress led by MP  Shakti Sinh Gohil and  Anil Chaudhary will visit affected areas of Jahangirpuri today. Congress' delegation comprises Ajay Maken, Subhash Chopra, Haroon Yusuf, Devendra Yadav, Imran Pratapgarhi, Krishna Tirath and others.