Sting operation is a conspiracy against Samajwadi Party: Naresh Agarwal

A news channel had alleged Azam Khan had instructed police to take delayed action in Muzaffarnagar

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Agarwal today described the sting operation on the Muzaffarnagar riots carried out by a television channel, as conspiracy against the Akhilesh Yadav-led government in Uttar Pradesh.

On Tuesday, the channel alleged senior SP leader Azam Khan had instructed police officials to take delayed action in curbing communal violence in the area.

"Sting operation isn't evidence, Azam Khan has already challenged it and SP also challenges it. It is a conspiracy against us," Agarwal said.

Azam Khan had earlier also denied the allegations, and asked the concerned news channel to investigate the claims that it made in its expose.

Khan also said that he was willing to face the harshest punishment if proven guilty.

"I have nothing to do with this. I live a clean and truthful life. Neither am I worried nor do I need to give anybody an explanation. In fact, the channel that has tried to ruin my entire life, I suggest to them that they themselves investigate the claims made by them," Khan told media in Lucknow.

"We are on the side of justice and action. I cannot even think of letting a perpetrator roam free. This is not in my character. I would rather die than lead the life they are accusing me of," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh Minister challenged the news channel to establish that he had communicated to any police officer during the days of the riots.

Reports suggest that the two district police officers in the footage of the sting operations-Budhana inspector Rishipa and an Inspector of Fhuwana police station-were transferred on Tuesday evening after Headlines Today broke their 'Operation Riot For Votes'.

According to media reports, the police, however, claim that the transfers were 'routine'.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has constituted a one-member judicial commission to probe the Muzaffarnagar violence, which has claimed over 40 lives.

The commission, which would mainly look into administrative lapses, if any, in controlling the violence, would submit its report to the government within two months.

Violence broke out in the Kawal area of Muzaffarnagar on August 27, when members of a community returning from a panchayat meeting in Naglabadhod, three kilometres from Kawal, clashed with members of another community.