Nuh Violence: Haryana Congress MLA Mamman Khan finds himself in the middle of a judicial tempest after being detained on Thursday in connection with the August communal violence in Nuh district.
The Haryana Police claimed to have "ample evidence" linking him to the violence that followed a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) yatra.
Mamman Khan, who represents Ferozepur Jhirka in the legislative assembly, filed a preliminary application with the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday.
His petition requested protection from arrest, and his case was set for hearing on October 19.
Khan adamantly denied being wrongfully accused, emphasising that he was not even in Nuh on the day the violence began.
The Haryana Police, on the other hand, submitted a counter-argument in court, claiming that Khan's involvement was based on a comprehensive examination of the available evidence.
They used phone call records and other evidence to back up their case against the Congress leader.
Khan had already received two summons from the Nuh Police, requesting him to comply with the inquiry. Khan had ignored several summons, claiming viral sickness as the cause for his absence.
According to Khan's lawyer, the MLA was just made aware of his inclusion as an accused in the First Information Report (FIR) on Thursday, raising further concerns about the case's conduct.
In his appeal to the High Court, Mamman Khan also requested that the Haryana government appoint a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprised of personnel with no lower rank than Inspector General of Police.
He requested that all cases involving violence be transferred to this SIT and that the SIT be given operational freedom.
The communal violence that erupted on July 31 in Nuh saw a VHP-led parade attacked by mobs, leading in devastating battles that cost six lives and injured many more.
The arrest of Mamman Khan is a crucial step forward in the continuing investigation into this heinous crime.