Delhi Police arrests Jamia University student in anti-CAA riots case

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday (May 17, 2020) arrested Asif Iqbal Tanha, a student of Jamia University in connection to the Jamia Nagar violence case that took place in December 2019. 

Asif Iqbal, a member of the Student Islamic Organization, was arrested on charges of rioting. He is considered to be extremely close to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar. 

Asif is also a member of the Jamia Coordination Committee which played an important role in the anti-CAA demonstrations and riots. 

Delhi Police Special Cell had earlier arrested Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar under 124A/UAPA of the IPC. Sharjeel Imam has also been booked for sedition and is currently in the custody of Assam Police.

Umar Khalid is also an accused in the Delhi riots case. Khalid has a sedition case filed against him by the Delhi Police for raising anti-national slogans at JNU and for organising programs for the release of Afzal Guru. However, it remains unclear if he has been charged under the UAPA.

Earlier on April 21, the police had charged Jamia Milia Islamia students Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar under the stringent UAPA. While Zargar is the media coordinator of Jamia Coordination Committee, Haider is a member of the committee.