Sambhal violence: SP to provide legal aid to those 'falsely' booked: Ex-MP

A Samajwadi Party delegation on Monday met the accused in the Sambhal violence case at the Moradabad district jail here and assured legal help to those who have been "falsely" booked, former Lok Sabha MP and Moradabad mayor S T Hasan said.

"We reached the jail at around 12.30 pm and met some of the accused during our stay which lasted around an hour. We had already approached the jail authorities for the meeting and the visit was then scheduled," Hasan, who led the delegation, told PTI.

According to a prison official, slips were submitted in advance to facilitate the meeting.

The delegation comprising MLAs Samarpal Singh from Naugawan Sadat in Amroha district and Nawab Jaan Khan from Thakurdwara had 15 people.

Speaking outside the jail, Hasan told reporters, "Many individuals arrested after the Sambhal violence are imprisoned here. During such incidents, innocent bystanders often get caught up in the situation. We are here to offer legal support and ensure justice for those who have been falsely booked."  Responding to BJP's criticism of Sambhal being turned into a "political tourism spot," Hasan remarked, "Those who ignore the ongoing violence in Manipur and fail to gather information about it should not use Sambhal for political posturing."  Hasan said the delegation met three women inside the jail.

"Some shared their problems with us while others could not speak a word as they kept weeping," he added.

On the ban on the entry of outsiders in Sambhal till December 10 and a Congress delegation being stopped in Lucknow on Monday from visiting the violence-hit district, he said, "It's our tradition and a practice to meet those in grief, in trouble and extend support. Whatever is happening is not a good indicator for a democracy."  Tension has been brewing in Sambhal since November 19, when a Mughal-era mosque was surveyed on court orders following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple previously stood at the site.

Violence erupted during a second survey on November 24 as protesters gathered near the Shahi Jama Masjid and clashed with security personnel. Four people died and several others were injured in the ensuing violence.

Police have booked more than 2,750 people, most of them unidentified, in connection with the violence. Among those booked are Samajwadi Party's Sambhal MP Zia ur Rehman and local MLA Iqbal Mehmood's son Sohail Iqbal.

While police continue to probe the case, a three-member judicial commission is also investigating the matter.