UP government seeks to withdraw case against BJP MLAs during Muzaffarnagar riots

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

LUCKNOW: In a controversial move, the Uttar Pradesh government has moved to withdraw the case against three BJP legislators who were booked for inflammatory speeches during the Muzaffarnagar riots. 

The speeches were made in front of a big gathering at Nagla Mandor in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in 2013.

Sangeet Som, Suresh Rana and Kapil Dev were the three MLAs who were booked for the speeches at the mahapanchayat. The three leaders apart from Sadhvi Prachi attended the programme and gave speeches. They were accused of violating the prohibitory orders and for altercations with the officials.

Som who was elected from Sardhana constituency in Meerut, Suresh Rana from Thana Bhawan in Shamli and Dev from Muzaffarnagar Sadar constituency, were named in the case registered at Shikheda police station. Now, the Yogi Adityanath government has moved to withdraw this case. 

The application has been moved in the court. The mahapanchayat was  held on September 7, 2013. As many as 65 persons were killed while tens of thousands were displaced in the communal riots. Women were also gangraped and attacked during the violence after the Mahapanchayat. 

The event was organised without obtaining permission from district administration. Samajwadi Party (SP) was at the helm in UP in 2013. Now that the BJP government holds power in the state, it has decided to withdraw the case. In other states too, FIRs against leaders have often been withdrawn.