‘Cow vigilante’ Monu Manesar held in Gurugram on multiple charges

Haryana Police arrested Monu Manesar for a provocative post on social media, but Rajasthan Police obtained transit remand in Nasir-Junaid murder case

Monu Manesar, from his Facebook page, now made private.

Bajrang Dal member and self-styled cow vigilante, Mohit alias Monu Manesar, was on September 12 arrested by the Nuh Police for an alleged provocative post on a social media platform ahead of a Hindu outfit’s Jalabhishek Yatra on August 28. The court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody in this case, but the Rajasthan Police also arrested him in connection with the Nasir-Junaid murder case and took him on transit remand.

Nuh Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya told The Hindu that Monu was arrested from Manesar market in Gurugram around 10.30 a.m. and a .45 bore pistol, a gun and three live cartridges were recovered from his possession.

On run in the Nasir-Junaid murder case for seven months, Monu Manesar also posted a video on July 31, ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Jalabhishek Yatra, announcing that he would be present in the procession. It had led to strong opposition by the locals who demanded his arrest in the murder case.

Later, clashes broke out between two communities during the procession and spread to parts of South Haryana, claiming six lives.

The demand for his arrest in the Nasir-Junaid murder case then snowballed into a political controversy between the two States with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, last month, alleging that Haryana Police were not cooperating with Rajasthan Police. He was responding to his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal’s statement that the Rajasthan Police were free to arrest Monu Manesar and the police of his State would render help in every possible way.

According to the FIR registered at Cyber Crime Police Station under different sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act, Monu allegedly posted a provocative post on social media to promote animosity between different religions and to disrupt public peace. The case was registered based on the complaint by Police Constable Manoj Kumar posted at Social Media Cell of Nuh Police.

Shortly after the court passed the order for Monu’s judicial remand on Tuesday, the Rajasthan police sought his custody for investigation in the Nasir-Junaid murder case. The court accepted the application and granted his interim remand to the Rajasthan police.

VHP joint general-secretary Surendra Jain said the arrest of Monu Manesar was “unfortunate” and the Haryana Police, instead of arresting the “real culprits” — including Congress’ Firozpur Jhirka MLA Mamman Khan — had arrested Monu who had no role in the riots. The police had arrested Monu to hide its failure on investigation into the riots, he said.

Monu was named as one of the accused in the First Information Report in connection with the murder of Nasir and Junaid, who were kidnapped from Rajasthan and their charred bodies were later found in Haryana’s Bhiwani. However, Rajasthan Director-General of Police (DGP) Umesh Mishra said last month that Monu was “not directly involved” in the incident and only his role in the background was being probed.