A young man who was arrested after a video clip showed him brandishing a police self loading rifle during Saturday's protests in Mumbai against the violence in Assam was remanded in crime branch custody till August 24.
Salim Allarakha Choukiya alias Ali, 23, who allegedly snatched the SLR from the police during the riots, was arrested from Anand nagar area of suburban Oshiwara on Thursday.
The crime branch department of Mumbai police argued that they want Salim's custody as they want to question him about the missing SLR rounds.
The police also claimed that one pistol and over hundred bullets are yet to be recovered. The crime branch further argued that they want crucial information about the violence from Salim.
However Salim, through his advocate Mahesh Waswani, argued that he had picked up the gun after police told him to do so.
"He knows many policemen in Mumbai and on that fateful day, he was sent to pick up the gun because his looks and costume were like the mob", argued Vaswani.
According to Vaswani, Salim took the gun from a child to avert any tragedy.
"Instead of appreciating him he is made an accused," he argued.
He said that Salim was picked up only on the basis of the "half-shown footage".
During his questioning, Salim had said that he was a salesman in an electronic shop, and claimed he had received a text message on his mobile phone about the protests, after which he rushed to the spot.
