Provoking remark: UP Police crime branch to probe case against SP MLA Shahzil Islam

Bareilly (UP): The crime branch of the Uttar Pradesh Police will investigate the case lodged against Samajwadi Party MLA Shahzil Islam for making an inflammatory statement against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rohit Sajwan has transferred the investigation to the crime branch.

Due to slow pace of investigation at the police station-level, it was handed over to the crime branch, he said.

Sajwan said the FIR was lodged on April 4 against the Bhojipura MLA, SP district vice-president Sanjeev Kumar Saxena and others on the complaint of the district in-charge of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Anuj Verma.

Shahzil and others were accused of making inflammatory statements during a public event.

In his address at the event, Shahzil targeted Adityanath, allegedly saying their "guns will spray bullets" if the CM "opens his mouth".

Shahzil Islam later claimed that his statement was misconstrued.

The SP MLA has been in a tough spot after making the statement.

Apart from ongoing police investigation, a petrol pump owned by him was bulldozed by the Bareilly Development Authority. The authority claimed that the petrol pump didn't have proper clearances to operate.