Probe Hyderabad NGO that distributed money in Banbhulpura: Cops to I-T dept
The Nainital Police, which released Hyderabad-based Salman Khan from custody, later said it will ask the I-T department to investigate his NGO
HALDWANI: A widely-circulated video of a man from a non-governmental organisation seen distributing cash to people affected due to the Banbhulpura violence has prompted the Nainital police to launch an investigation into the non-profit, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
According to the police, the man, identified as Salman Khan, a resident of Hyderabad, was seen distributing cash - mostly bundles of ₹100 and ₹200 currency notes - to people in the Banbhulpura area on February 20.
After this, the police took Salman Khan into custody and questioned him. He claimed that he runs an NGO in Hyderabad by the name of Hyderabad Youth Courage.
Khan was released on Thursday. Instead, the Nainital police turned its attention to the NGO.
A statement by the district police said it has handed over the registration number, Permanent Account Number and bank account number of the NGO to the income tax department for investigation.
Prahlad Narayan Meena, senior superintendent of police of Nainital said, “An action has been initiated to seize the bank account of Hyderabad Youth Courage. Those funding NGOs are also being traced. Later, action will be taken to cancel the registration of the NGO.”
“The Income tax department has been asked to investigate by providing details of the NGO’s account number, registration number and PAN number. Other agencies have also been asked to investigate by giving them information about Salman and his NGO”, he said.
A statement issued by Nainital Police also asked people not to donate to the NGO. Strict action will be taken against people who take money, support rioters and misrepresent facts on social media.
Five people were killed and 150 were injured in the violence in Banbhulpura area of Haldwani district on the evening of February 8, when civic authorities razed two structures — Masjid Mariam (mosque) and Abdul Razzaq Zakaria madrasa — alleging that they were illegally built on state government (nazool) land.
As workers from the Haldwani Municipal Corporation and Nainital administration razed the 20-year-old structure, residents of the area set afire several vehicles, a police station and hurled stones at the demolition team as well as police personnel, according to police.
The district administration is also preparing to seize the assets of Abdul Malik, the man alleged to be the mastermind of the violence to recover ₹ 2. 44 crore for the losses incurred to the property of Haldwani Municipal Corporation.
Paritosh Verma, sub-district magistrate Haldwani said, “As the person to whom the recovery notice has been issued is absconding, therefore the notice will be pasted at Abdul Malik’s house. We have started collecting details of his movable and immovable property. Preliminary investigation has revealed that Abdul Malik’s house was built on Nazool land. Details of the movable and immovable property and his bank accounts are being collected. Then the process to recover ₹ 2.44 crore will be started.”
