NEW DELHI: The police on Monday questioned renowned Delhi University professor Apoorvanand in connection with the communal violence that broke out in north-east Delhi in February. At least 53 people had died in the violence. Apoorvanand, a faculty at the department of Hindi, said his phone was seized for investigation and he spent five hours with the police.
“On Monday, August 3, 2020, I was asked by the Special Cell, Delhi Police, to appear before it in the investigation into the case related to the violence that happened in NE Delhi in February 2020. I spent five hours there. The Delhi Police also considered it necessary to seize my phone for investigation,” said the professor in a statement on Tuesday.
Apoorvanand added that the police should not harass and victimise protestors and their supporters, who through constitutional means, opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and the process to create a National Population Register. “While cooperating and respecting the right of police authorities to conduct a full, fair and thorough investigation, one can only hope that the probe would focus on the real instigators and perpetrators of the violence against a peaceful citizens’ protest and the people of North East Delhi,” the statement added.
“It is disturbing to see a theory emerging which treats the supporters of the protestors as the source of violence. I would urge the police and expect their probe to be thorough, just and fair so that truth prevails, “ he said. A senior Delhi Police official, on condition of anonymity, said the professor’s mobile phone was still with the Special Cell. “He was issued a notice to join the investigation and his mobile phone was seized for investigation,” he said. Apoorvanand has written articles for various publications, explaining his opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the government crackdown on universities, including JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia.