The Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested Zafar Ali, the president of Shahi Jama Masjid, on Sunday in connection with the violence that occurred on November 24.
Sambhal Superintendent of Police, Krishan Kumar Bishnoi, confirmed the arrest to PTI but provided no further details. The Mughal-era mosque has been at the center of controversy following a petition that claimed it was the site of an ancient Hindu temple.
After he was arrested, Jama Masjid Sadar chief Zafar Ali on Sunday denied accusations of inciting violence in the city on November 24 last year.
"I did not incite any violence...," Zafar Ali said as he was taken into custody by Uttar Pradesh Police in connection with the case, reported ANI
The UP town has been tense since violence broke out on November 24 last year during protests against a court-ordered survey of the mosque.
Four people were killed and several others, including police personnel, were injured in the violence.
According to an ANI report, the SIT had filed a chargesheet of over 4,000 pages in six of the 12 cases in the November 24 Sambhal violence.
According to the charge sheet, there were 159 total accused in the case. It also mentioned that the weapons recovered from the site of violence and other places were manufactured in the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, and Czech Republic.
Since November of last year, no other incident of violence has been reported in the area, and police also maintained tight security amid the Holi celebrations by carrying out the flag marches.
Officials and locals alike celebrated Holi peacefully, along with the Friday namaz for the Muslim community. The Jama Masjid was also covered with a tarpaulin sheet to ensure that no colours or vandalism happen to the mosque.
