ATS arrests 50-year-old from Kalyan for helping couple who ’joined’ IS

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai July 24, 2016 : A 50-year-old man from Kalyan has been be arrested for being one of the two witnesses at the wedding of a couple from Kerala who converted to Islam and are now among 20 people suspected to have joined the IS (Islamic state). The arrest by the Kerala police and the Maharashtra ATS, is the second one in the span of two days.

 

Sources from the investigating agencies said Khan had also helped the couple with legal paperwork when they converted from Christianity to Islam.

Rizwan Khan, who was arrested on Friday, is in his early 50s and is a resident of old Kalyan, where he lives with his wife and three children. He was produced in court and will be in police custody till July 25.

Just a day before, at 3am on Thursday, investigating agencies arrested Arshi Qureshi (45), a resident of Seawoods and a receptionist with controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation.

Who is Khan?

Khan is a social worker and visits various Muslim social organisations in Mumbai and the suburbs. “He helps people who wish to convert to Islam. He prepares the affidavit and other legal documents,” said an officer who is part of the investigation. According to sources, Bestin Vincent alias Yahia (24), a member of IRF, and his wife Merin alias Mariam, had converted to Islam in 2015. Both are from Palakkad in Kerala. Ebin Jacob (25), Merin’s brother, told the police in his statement that the IRF had got Bestin and Merin forcibly converted to Islam and had asked him (Jacob) to join the IS.

Bestin and Merin are among the 20 people missing from Kerala, suspected to have joined IS. Based on Jacob’s complaint, the Palarivattom police in Kochi have filed a case against the two missing people and Qureshi under Section 13 of the Unlawful activities (Prevention) Act UAPA and Section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion) of the IPC.

Khan’s involvement

"During the investigation, the police found that Khan was one of the witnesses at the wedding of the couple who converted to Islam. We have arrested him and are further investigating the matter,” said an investigating officer.

When the police raided Khan’s house, they found 800 legal documents of people who had converted.

A family member, on condition of anonymity, said, "He only helped those who wanted to convert voluntarily. He has been framed by the agencies."