HC shifts 35 cases involving politicos to Muzzaffarnagar's special court

The Allahabad High Court has transferred over 35 cases, including 10 of the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, against various politicians to a special court set up here for speedy disposal of cases against MPs and MLAs, both former and serving ones.

According to the district prosecution branch, the politicians against whom cases have been transferred to the district's special court include those belonging to the BJP, BSP and the Congress.

The prosecution officials said the Allahabad High Court on August 16 notified Muzaffarnagar's court of additional sessions judge (number four) as the special court to try cases against former and serving legislators and parliamentarians under its jurisdiction.

They said state Minister Suresh Rana, BJP's ex-MP Bhartendu Singh, BJP MLAs Umesh Malik and Vikram Saini, VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi and others are facing charges of inciting violence through their speeches during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.

BJP MLA Vikram Saini and 27 others are also facing an attempt to murder case in the district.

Congress leader and former UP home minister S Saiduzzaman, former BSP MP Kadir Rana, former BSP MLA Maulana Jamil are also facing criminal cases for allegedly inciting violence during the 2013 riots in the district.

The prosecution explained that all criminal cases against serving or former MLAs and MPs of the state were earlier transferred to a special court set up in Allahabad for their expeditious trials.

But with the accused politicians from all over the state facing problems in appearing in the Allahabad court due to its distance from their native places, the Allahabad High Court decided to set up such special courts in each district.

Accordingly, the court of ASJ (Four) in Muzaffarnagar was set up as special court to try cases involving former and serving MPs and MLAs in the district.