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Jun 26, 2022

ED May Take Action Against Prophet Remark, Agnipath Protesters; Seeks Documents From UP Police

The Enforcement Directorate is also examining the role of coaching centres in Bihar in fuelling protests against the Agnipath scheme.
A firefighter tries to douse a fire in a train, set by people protesting against Centres Agnipath scheme, at Kulharia railway station, in Bhojpur, June 17, 2022. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought details of people from UP police to examine if those who took part in two recent protests – the one against the prophet remarks by BJP leader Nupur Sharma, and the Union government’s Agnipath military recruitment scheme – can be tried under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Indian Express reported that the central probe agency has sought documents and case papers from UP Police to examine if it can proceed against the accused under provisions of the PMLA. It is similarly examining the role of coaching centres in Bihar in fuelling protests against the Agnipath scheme.

“We are examining both cases from a money-laundering perspective. In the protests over the Prophet remarks, we have learnt there is involvement of a certain organisation which has been aggressively active in engineering protests against the government on Islamic issues. It is already under probe for its involvement in certain other protests. We have sought documents from UP Police, which has already arrested members of this organisation,” a senior ED official told the newspaper.

“The protests in Bihar were fuelled by some coaching centres. We are examining the issue. If we find evidence of them having funded these protests, we will proceed against them under the PMLA,” the official told the daily.

Watch | ‘Comments on Prophet by Bjp Leaders a Wake up Call for Even Hindus’

Massive protests were held in several parts of the country after then BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma made allegedly offensive remarks on Prophet Muhammad on a TV debate show in the last week of May. Sharma’s views were endorsed by former media head of the BJP’s Delhi unit, Naveen Jindal, on Twitter.

After the incident, hashtags started trending on Twitter in Arab countries calling for the boycott of Indian products over the alleged inflammatory remarks against the Prophet.  Mohammed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, the party cracked a whip against them.

Several West Asian countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Iran and Saudi Arabia, had summoned their respective Indian ambassadors and registered their protest against the BJP leaders’ remarks on Prophet Muhammed.

While BJP suspended Nupur Sharma from the party, Jindal’s primary membership of the party was cancelled.

The Kanpur Police registered three first information reports against more than 1,000 unknown persons, out of which 55 people have been named as accused, all of whom are Muslims, The Wire had reported.

As per June 19, the UP Police have arrested 415 people and registered 20 first information reports (FIRs) so far in connection with the violent protests that erupted against the BJP leaders’ comment on the Prophet.

Also read: Here’s What’s Likely to Happen to Indian Army’s Discharged Agniveers

Meanwhile, trains were set on fire and public property vandalised after the Union government announced the Agnipath scheme on June 14 for recruitment of soldiers below the rank of commissioned officers into the three services of the armed forces.

The scheme plans to demobilise 75% of the recruited troops after four years without a pension, sparking concerns over the demobilised Agniveers’ employability. An article in The Wire spoke about how thousands of Agniveers, after their term ends, would be at the mercy of the Department of Ex-servicemen Welfare for re-employment, which has done little or nothing to resettle ex-servicemen.

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