Delhi Police has arrested one Uttam Malik in connection with alleged inflammatory and anti-Muslim slogans raised at Jantar Mantar earlier this month.
Police are conducting raids to nab another accused, Pinky Chaudhary, who is absconding after his anticipatory bail application was rejected.
So far, police have arrested eight men in connection with the case, including former Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay. Upadhyay, also a Supreme Court lawyer, was granted bail by a Delhi Court on August 12.
In a video recorded at Jantar Mantar on August 8, Uttam Malik, who also goes by Uttam Upadhaya, said he was a follower of Dasna Devi temple’s (Ghaziabad) head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, who was booked in April for allegedly making disparaging comments against the Prophet at an event in Delhi.
Police said Uttam was arrested from New Delhi district when he came to meet his associate. “He runs a stationary shop in Ghaziabad. We are questioning him and trying to find out his connection with the other accused,” a senior police officer said.
Investigation has revealed that one of the accused, Deepak Singh Hindu, president of Hindu Force, was invited to the event by Preet Singh, who is the president of Save India organisation and known to Upadhyay. DCP (New Delhi district) Deepak Yadav had said that they have the documents on record which show that Ashwini Upadhyay had mentioned Preet Singh’s name in his application for organising the event. Further investigations are on,” he said.
This story first appeared on indianexpress.com