Ansar Sheikh, one of the prime accused in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri violence, owns a luxurious mansion in Haldia, the prime industrial township in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district and has an image of a philanthropist there.

A highly placed source in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police told IANS on condition of anonymity that following a communication from the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, the state CID enquired about Ansar’s activities in Haldia. A team of the Delhi Police is likely to come to West Bengal for further investigation.

“From there we came to know that although Ansar is an original resident of Assam, he married into a family which had been living in Haldia for a long time. Soon after his marriage, Ansar built up a mansion in Haldia and used to frequently come here.

“He also developed the image of a philanthropist in Haldia by donating huge amounts for various socio- religious activities. He was also quite popular among the neighbours as whenever he used to come to Haldia, he used to arrange feasts at his mansion where the neighbours were invited,” the CID source said.

In fact, according to him, when state police enquired about Ansar at Haldia, the local people appeared surprised after coming to know about Ansar’s involvement in the Jahangirpuri violence.

“In Haldia people knew Ansar as a successful trader dealing in the scrap iron business. His longest stay in Haldia at a time was between the middle of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 that is during the Covid-19 pandemic period. However, even after that he used to frequent Haldia,” the CID official said.

On April 16, clashes broke out between two groups of people, belonging to different communities, during a Shobha Yatra procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area. As many as eight police personnel and a civilian sustained injuries in the violence.

Delhi Police on Sunday arrested 35-year-old Ansar, who was involved in conspiring the communal clashes, an official said.

The accused was also found to be previously involved in two cases of assault and was also arrested repeatedly under preventive sections and booked five times under Gambling Act and Arms Act.