MUZAFFARNAGAR, Sept 18: Arrest warrants were today issued against 16 politicians and community leaders including a BSP MP and MLAs from BJP, BSP by a local court for allegedly inciting violence here through inflammatory speeches.
The warrants were issued among others against BSP MP Qadir Rana, BJP MLAs Sangeet Som and Bhartendu Singh, BSP MLAs Noor Saleem and Maulana Jameel, Congress leader Saeeduzaman and BKU chief Naresh Tikait, police said.
They are wanted for violating prohibitory orders and provoking communal tension by making inflammatory speeches in different meetings (mahapanchayats) in the district, they said.
Action will be taken against them in two days time, Senior Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar said.
“We have arrested three to four politicians. We have collected some evidence, some more evidence is to be collected and very soon more arrests will be made. Whoever is guilty will be arrested in two days….This is subject to investigation,” he said.
A senior official said that ten police teams have been despatched to arrest those against whom warrants have been issued.
The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas have claimed 47 lives and displaced over 40,000 people.
Meanwhile, under attack after two police officers reportedly admitted in a TV string operation having delayed action to contain Muzaffarnagar riots under “political pressure”, Uttar Pradesh Minister Azam Khan said he has nothing to do with it and that he didn’t want to give any clarification.
“The news channel which has aired the sting operation should itself a conduct a probe into it….All my phone numbers including that of my residence and office should be scanned….
“And if I am found guilty, the channel should tell the punishment for me…I will accept the harshest of punishments, if found guilty….I am not that type of a person,” Khan told reporters in Lucknow.
In Ghaziabad, the UP police detained Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari to prevent him from visiting Muzaffarnagar even as he asked SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to sack Azam Khan from the party alleging he had “nothing to do with the people.”
“Muslims hate the SP leader and don’t like him,” he alleged.
“Khan does not have the support of even four Muslims in the state…He is responsible for Muzaffarnagar violence,” Bukhari told reporters here and demanded that the UP Minister should be sacked from SP.
Accusing Khan of playing vote bank politics with the Muslims, Bukhari said that the Minister was looking after more than ten government departments, but he “has not benefited the Muslim community so far.”
Due to Khan’s behaviour, tension has mounted in the state, he alleged, adding the state government has not fulfilled the expectation of the Muslims. After being detained, Bukhari was taken to Vasundra PWD Guest House by the city police.
With the arrest warrant being issued against him, BJP MLA Sangeet Som said in Lucknow that he was ready for arrest and demanded a CBI inquiry into the entire issue.
Som faces a non-bailable warrant for allegedly posting a fake video online that instigated tension in the state’s western region.
He termed the allegations as “completely baseless and far from the truth,” and claimed that the government was getting cases registered against him to appease a particular section of the society.
“I have myself demanded a CBI inquiry into the entire episode and I, along with all the MLAs, am ready for arrest, but the government should act correctly and uphold the truth,” Som, who was in the UP Assembly, told reporters.
“I am being accused of instigating the people by giving inflammatory speech…If that is the case, there would be a CD…They should show it,” Som, an MLA from Sardhana, said. (AGENCIES)
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