Muzaffarnagar riots case: Non-bailable warrants against Balyan, Sadhvi Prachi

A court here has issued non-bailable warrants against former Union minister Sanjeev Balyan, VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi, BJP MLA Umesh Malik and two others for not appearing in the court in connection with a case related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ankur Sharma issued the non-bailable warrants and asked to accused to be present in court on June 22.

Bijnor MP Bhartendu Singh, Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Rana, and MLA Sangeet Som, were also accused in the case.

They too had not appeared in the court yesterday. But the court had allowed their application seeking exemption from personal appearance in hearings, the prosecution said.

According to the prosecution, the accused are facing charges of violating prohibitory orders, deterring public servants from discharging their duties and wrongful restraint.

The accused had allegedly participated in a "mahapanchayat" and incited violence through their speeches in the last week of August 2013.

The communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in August and September 2013 had claimed more than 60 lives while over 40,000 people were displaced.