Balyan, Malik appear before court after NBWs were issued

Former Union minister Sanjiv Balyan and BJP MLA Umesh Malik appeared in the court today after non bailable warrants were issued against them for not appearing in connection with a Muzaffarnagar riots case.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Madhu Gupta directed the two to appear in court on January 29 for framing of charges against the accused in the case.

BJP MP Balyan and Malik also furnished bonds of Rs 30,000 each.

It is alleged that the accused persons had participated in a 'mahapanchayat' and incited violence through their speeches in the last week of August 2013.

More than 60 people were killed and over 40,000 displaced during communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in 2013.