UP govt moves HC seeking quashing of terror charges on duo

Uttar Pradesh government has filed a revision petition with Allahabad High Court challenging the rejection by a Barabanki court of its application to withdraw terror charges against two youths.
The revision application was filed yesterday with the Lucknow bench of the HC by government counsel Rishad Murtaza. Justice Arvind Kumar Tripathi later gave directions for the same to be listed for hearing.
Special Sessions Judge Kalpana Mishra had on May 10 rejected the April 24 application moved by the government to withdraw cases against Tariq Kasmi and Khalid Mujahid, the duo accused in the Gorakhpur serial blasts case.
Kasmi's counsel Randheer Singh Suman had said at the time that the state government wanted to withdraw the cases in public interest and for the sake of communal harmony, but had not elaborated either point in its application to court.

The court had noted that the state government did not file an affidavit with the application.
It further observed that despite its being a confidential document, the application was given openly instead of in a sealed envelope, Suman said.

On the basis of the above points, the court had rejected the government's application.
The Special Task Force of UP police had arrested the duo with explosives from near Barabanki railway station.
Mujahid died in police custody on May 18 while being taken to Lucknow after a hearing at a Faizabad court. The state government later recommended a CBI probe into his death.