"I Fold My Hands": Content Creator Breaks Down On Camera Over Racist Video

Content creator Amir Shaukeen wept openly on camera and folded his hands in apology as police took him to Ahmedabad for a crime scene recreation. He is accused of making racist remarks against a young man from Tripura in a video that went viral. A four-member team from Delhi's Sadar Bazar police station escorted him, and legal proceedings are still under way.

Shaukeen, who is currently in Delhi Police custody, spoke to NDTV. He admitted he was in the wrong and asked the public to forgive him.

"I want to apologise to the people of the Northeast. I didn't mean to give any wrong message to the people there. If anyone felt hurt by my words, I fold my hands and apologise to them. A mistake happened with me; please forgive me, and I didn't do anything intentionally," Shaukeen said while crying.

Shaukeen maintained that his words and actions were not meant to spread hatred, though he accepted that the footage looked bad for him.

"Whatever is genuine, here also, when all the people were asked, they said that it was a slip of the tongue and not deliberate. I fold my hands and apologise to everybody. But the words that I used were not right, the way I touched him was also not right, and people might have thought I did it intentionally, but I had just used those words. It is visible in the video, and for that, I am apologising. For that thing and for every single thing, I am apologising," he said.

Shaukeen said he was cooperating fully with the police as they recreated the scene and collected evidence.

"I have come straight here with Delhi Police Crime Branch. I am apologising to the people of the Northeast. I accept my mistake, and I completely accept it," he added.

READ | Under Fire For Racist Video, Delhi Content Creator Apologises, Cops On Hunt

The case began when a clip showing Shaukeen making racially derogatory comments to the Tripura youth spread across social media. It drew widespread condemnation across the Northeast and beyond. Political leaders and members of civil society criticised the incident. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju reacted strongly on social media and promised strict legal action. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha asked the state's DGP to coordinate with the Delhi Police, and leaders from different parties demanded action. The backlash led to quick police action and Shaukeen's arrest.

Amid the criticism, Shaukeen put out another video last week to apologise. In it, he claimed that the original video was scripted and that the man featured in it was known to him. He said the man had earlier worked at a friend's cafe in Ahmedabad. He described the exchange as a humorous video in which both of them were joking, and said he had no intention of insulting anyone.