Dr Kafeel Khan remanded in 14-day judicial custody, transferred to Mathura jail

Aligarh (UP), February 1

Child specialist Dr Kafeel Khan, who was accused of making an inflammatory speech at AMU, was remanded in 14-day judicial custody and later transferred to Mathura jail, officials said on Saturday.

Circle Officer (Civil Lines) Anil Samania said Khan was brought here late Friday evening and was produced before the remand magistrate who remanded him to judicial custody.

The doctor was sent to the Aligarh jail, but within an hour, he was transferred to Mathura jail, the official said.

The Uttar Pradesh police had on Thursday obtained transit remand for Khan, arrested in Mumbai for allegedly making inflammatory remarks at an anti-CAA protest at Aligarh Muslim University last month.

A UP special task force arrested him in a joint operation with Mumbai Police on Wednesday, when he reached the city to attend a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.            

The STF said Khan was arrested in connection with a case registered at the Civil Lines police station in Aligarh, police said. He was booked under section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity between groups.

Khan is accused of making inflammatory remarks on December 12 during a protest near Bab-e-Syed Gate outside the Aligarh Muslim University in front of over 600 students protesting against the new citizenship law.            

An official also alleged that the Gorakhpur doctor had made objectionable comments against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Following the arrest, Khan was taken to Mumbai’s Sahar police station.

In Gorakhpur, his brother Adil Khan alleged on Thursday that the doctor was arrested to give the ruling BJP an advantage in the Delhi Assembly polls on February 8.

The doctor was earlier arrested for his alleged role in the deaths of over 60 children in one week at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur in August 2017.

Short supply of oxygen at the children’s ward at that time was said to have caused the deaths.                   

Following an outrage over the Gorakhpur deaths, Khan was suspended and arrested, with the UP government claiming that he had failed to take prompt action or warn his superiors about the impending crisis.

About two years later, a state government probe, however, cleared Khan of all major charges, prompting him to seek an apology from the Yogi Adityanath Government.  

In Gorakhpur, his brother Adil Khan has questioned Wednesday’s arrest. “It is clear that the motive behind the arrest was political gain during the Delhi Assembly election, Adil Khan claimed.

“It is alleged that my brother has no faith in the Constitution, which is wrong as his speech is available on social media and nowhere has he said this. He is falsely accused and wrongly arrested,” he said. PTI