In the backdrop of demands for arrest of cabinet minister Azam Khan in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots, a senior SP leader on Monday said no case or FIR had been registered against him and there was no basis for his arrest.
‘No case has been registered against Azam Khan in connection with the violence in Muzaffarnagar, nor has he been named in any FIR. On what basis should he be arrested?’, national general secretary Ramasre Kushwaha told reporters here.
He was replying to a query that only leaders of BJP and other parties were being arrested for their alleged role in the riots, though there were allegations of Khan’s involvement also.
A TV channel had aired a sting operation showing alleged political interference in functioning of police during the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Asked about the salute offered by Jailor at Orai jail to BJP MLAs arrested in the connection with the violence, he said the matter is being investigated and action will be taken against the Jailor.
Kushwaha said FIRs had been registered against those involved in the violence and they were being arrested irrespective of their parties.
‘Law is the same for everybody. If Azam Khan had been involved in the violence, a case would have been registered against him and he would have been arrested. Since there is no case against him, this topic is null,’ he said.
Kushwaha said cases had been registered against 18 people, including a councillor of Samajwadi Party, and he has been arrested as well. ‘For SP, all the people who are guilty are same irrespective of which party they belong to,’ he asserted.
Meanwhile, former Uttar Pradesh minister and ex- Rashtriya Lok Dal legislator Swami Omvesh was arrested in Bijnore on Monday in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Omvesh, who had joined the BJP recently, was arrested from his native village Fatehpur under Heempur Dhima police station area, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bijnore Rajesh Krishna said on telephone.
The politician has been arrested under Section 151 and 188 of the IPC for violating section 144 of the CrPC and for giving an inflammatory speech to trigger the violence. Omvesh is the fourth politician to be arrested so far in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Sources said Omvesh will be produced before the court here and later would be sent to jail. He is also likely to be shifted to some other jail in east UP to prevent any unest over his arrest. BJP MLA Suresh Rana’s arrest was the first arrest made by the UP police on Friday last in the state capital. On the next day, BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som surrendered in Meerut while BSP MLA Noor Salim Rana was arrested in Muzaffarnagar.
While Sangeet Singh Som has been shifted to Orai jail and Suresh Rana at Banda jail in Bundelkhand region, Noor Salim Rana has been lodged in Mirzapur jail.
(With PTI inputs)
‘No case has been registered against Azam Khan in connection with the violence in Muzaffarnagar, nor has he been named in any FIR. On what basis should he be arrested?’, national general secretary Ramasre Kushwaha told reporters here.
He was replying to a query that only leaders of BJP and other parties were being arrested for their alleged role in the riots, though there were allegations of Khan’s involvement also.
A TV channel had aired a sting operation showing alleged political interference in functioning of police during the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Asked about the salute offered by Jailor at Orai jail to BJP MLAs arrested in the connection with the violence, he said the matter is being investigated and action will be taken against the Jailor.
Kushwaha said FIRs had been registered against those involved in the violence and they were being arrested irrespective of their parties.
‘Law is the same for everybody. If Azam Khan had been involved in the violence, a case would have been registered against him and he would have been arrested. Since there is no case against him, this topic is null,’ he said.
Kushwaha said cases had been registered against 18 people, including a councillor of Samajwadi Party, and he has been arrested as well. ‘For SP, all the people who are guilty are same irrespective of which party they belong to,’ he asserted.
Meanwhile, former Uttar Pradesh minister and ex- Rashtriya Lok Dal legislator Swami Omvesh was arrested in Bijnore on Monday in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Omvesh, who had joined the BJP recently, was arrested from his native village Fatehpur under Heempur Dhima police station area, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bijnore Rajesh Krishna said on telephone.
The politician has been arrested under Section 151 and 188 of the IPC for violating section 144 of the CrPC and for giving an inflammatory speech to trigger the violence. Omvesh is the fourth politician to be arrested so far in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Sources said Omvesh will be produced before the court here and later would be sent to jail. He is also likely to be shifted to some other jail in east UP to prevent any unest over his arrest. BJP MLA Suresh Rana’s arrest was the first arrest made by the UP police on Friday last in the state capital. On the next day, BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som surrendered in Meerut while BSP MLA Noor Salim Rana was arrested in Muzaffarnagar.
While Sangeet Singh Som has been shifted to Orai jail and Suresh Rana at Banda jail in Bundelkhand region, Noor Salim Rana has been lodged in Mirzapur jail.
(With PTI inputs)