The accused has several cases, one for attempt to murder, registered against him. (Representational)
A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sending false complaints claiming that members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were about to instigate riots in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday.
Afsar Khan alias MD Afsar, arrested a few days ago, has multiple criminal cases registered against him, said an official. His brother Akhtar is wanted in the case.
The Bhoiwada police station in the city recently received multiple complaints, sent by post, claiming that some 19 to 20 members of the banned outfit PFI were conspiring to engineer riots or communal violence in Mumbai, the official said.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad unit linked to Bhoiwada police station began a probe and found that all the letters had come through the Chembur post office.
It held a boy used for posting the complaints, the official said, adding that the boy disclosed Afsar's name.
In the meanwhile, the Mumbai crime branch which was conducting a parallel investigation arrested Afsar through technical surveillance.
He was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 505 (spreading harmful rumours) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
He has several cases including one for attempt to murder registered against him. He was handed over to Dharavi police in connection with an Arms Act case, the official added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)