Police attach property of absconding Sambhal violence case accused

Sambhal: Acting on a court order, police on Wednesday carried out attachment proceedings against the house of Sharik alias Saatha, a notorious criminal described as the prime accused in the Sambhal violence case. He is currently on the run.The operation was conducted amid tight security, with the entire locality turned into a virtual fortress to prevent any law-and-order situation. The action began around 11 am at Sharik's ancestral four-storey house in Hindupura Kheda Pajiya locality under Nakhasa police station limits.More than 100 police personnel from Nakhasa, Raisatti, Sambhal Kotwali, Hayatnagar and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) were deployed. Police announced the attachment by beating drums, creating panic in the area.Police said the ancestral house is jointly owned by Sharik Satha and his four brothers. The first floor, which reportedly belongs to Sharik, was attached. The police team entered the house and conducted a thorough inspection of the premises.Family members protested the action. The wife of Sharik's younger brother claimed the house is not registered in anyone's name and said two brothers, Sadiq and Fayak, were residing there.She alleged that false charges were framed against Sharik and said he was missing for the past nine years, questioning how he could have orchestrated the violence.Police, however, maintain that Sharik Satha is one of India's biggest auto-lifters, with over 60 criminal cases registered against him. Investigators claim he used to steal more than 300 luxury vehicles annually and is currently operating his criminal network from Dubai.SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi said Sharik is the mastermind of the violence that took place in Sambhal on Nov 24, 2024. "He fled to Dubai in 2020 after using a fake passport. He is wanted by police in several states, with as many as 69 criminal cases registered against him across different states," said Bishnoi."Several attempts were made to arrest him, but he has so far managed to evade the law. As a result, police sought court permission in two cases to initiate attachment proceedings against him, following which the action was carried out on Wednesday. We will request the court to start trial proceedings in absentia against him and seek strict punishment for him," Bishnoi added.--