LUCKNOW: Haji Wasi, a prominent builder accused of funding the Kanpur violence that broke out on June 3 against the controversial statement of suspended BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma over Prophet Mohammad was arrested in state capital Lucknow on late Monday night, said Joint commissioner of Kanpur police, Anand Prakash Tiwari .
According to police official, Haji Wasi was the main financer of Zafar Hayat Hashmi, the alleged mastermind of the Kanpur violence. His son Rahman was arrested two days ago. Zafar Hayat Hashmi along with Mukhtar Baba, owner of famous Baba Biryani, is already in police custody. Haji Wasi’s name had cropped up after the interrogation of Zafar Hayat Hashmi.
As per the Kanpur Police official, Wasi was arrested near Amausi airport from where he was about to take a flight late on Monday night. Last week , the Kanpur police authorities had procured a non-bailable warrant against Wasi from the court. Wasi was named in three FIRs by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Kanpur violence.
As per the Kanpur police officials, after the violence, Wasi had fled to Delhi from where he came down to Lucknow with all the documents to escape to abroad ready. He was about to take a flight on Monday night.
Notably, huge violent protests had broken out after Friday Namaz against Nupur Sharma’s statement at Nai Sadak locality of Kanpur engulfing other Muslim dominated localities as well on June 3. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up to probe into the violence, had identified 40 persons accused of spreading hatred. Their posters were put up at the city crossings. Moreover, 55 persons were named and around 1000 unidentified trouble makers were booked by the Kanpur police. Of those booked for violence, around 60 have so far been arrested and sent to jail.
The Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) had also demolished one of his buildings in Swaroop Nagar and seized nine others.
Meanwhile, as per the Kanpur police, just ahead of June 3 violence in Kanpur, the trouble makers were connected through an active WhatsApp group which had numbers from Iran, Pakistan and Oman. The Cyber cell of UP police has been entrusted to track those numbers and collect details about them.