A woman, who posed as a lawyer, linked with the banned terrorist organization PFI (Popular Front of India) was caught recording court proceedings in Indore on January 25. She posed as a junior advocate on the instructions of Advocate Noorjahan Khan who paid the woman identified as Sonu Mansuri for the task. Both Khan and Mansuri have been booked under sections 410, 420, and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Court number 42 in Indore’s district court was hearing a case pertaining to protests by Hindu organizations against the Pathan movie. As the proceedings were on, police spotted the woman dressed as a lawyer recording videos of the courtroom and clicking photographs of the documents of the proceedings. Mansuri, who hails from Khargone, resides in a rented apartment in Indore’s Anand Bazaar and works for Bhopal-based Khan.

As per reports, lakhs of unaccounted cash (1.16 lakhs according to Dainik Bhaskar) and a few documents were recovered from her. She confessed to the police that she was making the recordings for PFI on the instructions of Khan. She also said that she was conducting a recce for PFI.

The FIR (First Information Report) says the court was hearing a case against Tanu Sharma and others. When Tanu Sharma’s lawyer Anil Naidu was arguing, the woman began recording the proceedings. Lawyers Govind Singh Bhains and Shubham Solanki who spotted the woman informed Amit Pandey and other colleagues.

They questioned the woman regarding the case she was presenting and on whose behalf she was appearing in court. She informed them that she was a junior lawyer who was helping Delhi-based lawyer Ejaz Hashmi on the instructions of Noorjahan Khan. Following this, they demanded she shows her identity card but she began misleading them and attempted to scuttle the issue.

The lawyers immediately informed the President, Secretary, and other office bearers of the Bar Association who arrived at the spot. Mansuri informed a woman lawyer present in the court that she appears on behalf of Khan. She records proceedings wherever Hindu-Muslim cases are in the proceedings and sends the recordings to the banned organization PFI.

The Bar Association informed MG Road police following the woman’s confession. SI Tina Shukla conducted a body search of Mansuri within the court premises. The unaccounted cash was discovered during the search. She also told the police that she wasn’t a lawyer.

In the meanwhile, Khan escaped from the court premises as soon as the Bar Association officials began questioning Mansuri. The police confirmed that Khan hailed from Bhopal and fought the Indore Bar Association elections last year. Police are on the lookout for Khan who has since absconded.

As per reports, Hindu organizations chanted Hanuman Chalisa at movie theatres in Bhopal against the release of Shahrukh Khan-starrer Pathaan. Following the protests, shows were cancelled. Islamist mobs, however, claimed that anti-Islam slogans were raised and mobbed police stations in Indore and Dewas. Sar tan se juda (STSJ) slogans were raised by the Islamist mobs.

The Sadar Bazaar police registered a case against an Islamist mob on January 26 for creating communal disturbances. In a video that had gone viral, in addition to threatening to create violence in Indore, (STSJ) threats were issued to Tanu Sharma. Sadar Bazaar police arrested Mohammad Khalik (Kalu), Shahid, Shadab, and Irfan. The accused were produced in court and subsequently sent to jail.

Cases were also filed by the Chatripura police and Chandan Nagar Police after Islamists mobbed both police stations. Additionally, roads were blocked in Khajrana, Barwali, and other police chowki areas. The issue began on January 25 afternoon when Muslim youths went to Chandan Nagar Police Station demanding an FIR be registered against Hindus claiming they ‘raised anti-Muslim’ slogans while protesting against Pathan movie.

They were redirected to Chatripura police station where a case was filed under IPC Section 505 against unidentified youth. The Chandan Nagar police also registered a case against four Muslim youths who had assaulted a member of a Hindu organization for raising slogans during the screening of the film.

(Featured Image Source: Dainik Bhaskar)