Syed Khalique Ahmed | India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—While the police failed to find any incriminating document they were looking for at the office of Adv Mehmood Pracha’s office despite 15 hours of marathon search, they have filed a case at the Nizamuddin Police Station alleging that Pracha and his associates tried to obstruct the members of the search team from carrying out their official duty.
The Delhi Police Special Cell filed this complaint after Pracha levelled allegations of misrepresentation by the Investigating Officer (IO) and cheating by the investigating team and also lodged a criminal case in the Nizamuddin Police Station in this connection.
Associates of Pracha said that it was around 4 pm when the IO had to put his signatures on some papers with regard to searches. The policeman identifying himself as Rajiv Tyagi had introduced himself as IO when he reached Pracha’s office at around 12 in the noon on Thursday for search operations. However, Tyagi asked an inspector accompanying him to sign the papers. But Pracha objected to it, saying that he wanted the signatures of IO only, not anyone accompanying him.
When Rajiv Tyagi said that he was merely a Police Sub Inspector (PSI) and not an IO for the search operations, Pracha immediately dialled police emergency No 100 and called the Nizamuddin Police to his office, complaining that a fake IO was conducting search operations. “When the Nizamuddin police came, Pracha gave his side of the version saying that the search team had misrepresented itself and cheated him as the person who for more than five hours identified himself as IO, is refusing to sign saying he was not IO”, said an associate of Pracha.
Pracha also accused the search team of pushing him and also threatening him of ruining his legal practice if he did not produce evidence against himself. Talking to mediapersons from his balcony on the second floor of his office, Pracha said that police were not allowing him to talk even to his own clients, office associates and media.
The search team, in turn, lodged a complaint with the Nizamuddin police regarding Pracha’s alleged “aggressive and abusive behaviour” and sought “appropriate action” in the matter.
Pracha Accuses IO Of Threatening Him To File A False Case Against Him
Meanwhile, Pracha on Saturday moved the court of Duty Magistrate Anshul Singhal in Patiala House alleging that the PSI Rajiv and IO have threatened him that they will make a false case against him. Pracha also demanded a copy of video footage of the entire search operations at his office.
The magistrate directed the IO to submit entire video footage of the search operations to the court on December 27 and place the status report of the investigation into FIR No 212/2020 to the concerned court before January 5, 2021.
Background Of The Search Operation
Explaining the background of the search operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Manishi Chandra, in a press statement, said that searches were conducted at the office of Pracha as also another advocate-Javed Ali-in connection with an FIR No 212/20 registered on August 22, 2020 at Delhi Police Special Cell. According to Chandra, the FIR relates to the “use of documents containing false/fabricated evidence and a forged notary stamp before a court during a bail proceeding”.
According to Chandra, the forged notary stamp standing in the name of an advocate who had passed away in 2017, related to Javed Ali, a concocted/fabricated complaint placed before the court in support of a bail plea related to Pracha.
Chandra said that the Special Cell had got a search warrant issued to search the offices of both the advocates in connection with this FIR.
Chandra claimed that while Javed Ali cooperated with the search team, Pracha resisted through arguments and making excuses. Chandra, in his statement, accused Pracha of getting “aggressive and abusive in behaviour”. He said that “Pracha and his associates prevented the police team from executing the mandate of the Hon’ble Court, obstructed the investigation and in the discharge of their lawful public duties”. It is on this basis that the Special Cell has lodged a complaint in the Nizamuddin Police Station against Pracha.
Real Mastermind of Delhi Riots will be exposed : Pracha
Pracha in a tweet on Friday, said, “@DelhiPolice team just left despite 15 hours of marathon scrutiny of all my office computers filed and even bathrooms when could find nothing frustrated they assaulted me and my associates. If @DelhiPolice doesn’t destroy the Court ordered video recording of the raid, the real masterminds of North East Delhi violence will get exposed. I was repeatedly threatened with the name of @AmitShah Sahab. I thank all the people who supported me. I promise that we will not back down in our Mission Save Constitution. Jai Bhim Jai Bharat”.
Pracha, well-known advocate, is fighting cases of several riot victims as also activists who had led the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), including Gulfishan. While he managed to get bail for many of his clients, several accused involved in the riots and connected with saffron organisations had to be booked and arrested because of his Pracha’s efforts. Political analysts say that Pracha’s open criticism of the Delhi police with regard to the riots and during investigation seemed to have offended the ruling party politicians as also some elements in the Delhi police and the raid seemed to be an outcome of all these things.
