The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has appealed to courts to cancel bail of at least 50 persons accused of playing a role in the last year’s Muzaffarnagar riots, claiming that they could try to disturb peace during elections.
Reports on Tuesday said that the Samajwadi Party government is seeking cancellation of bails given to BJP MLAs Sangeet Som, Suresh Rana and BSP MLA Kadir Rana among others.
For Sangeet Som, the state government has appealed in Allahabad High Court while for others; it has sent an appeal in district court.
In its appeal, the state government has claimed that the accused could try to disturb peace during elections and are attempting to divide voters on communal lines.
Supreme Court had recently held the Uttar Pradesh government prima facie responsible for negligence in preventing communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas.
A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam passed a slew of directions for proper investigation in the cases and for rehabilitation of victims of the communal clashes.
“We prima facie hold the state government responsible for negligence in preventing such incidents,” it said.
The court, however, added that the state government was taking proper action and had constituted a special investigation cell for conducting a probe into various cases, so there was no need for a direction for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Special Investigation Team at this juncture.
It directed the state authorities to bring to book all accused persons irrespective of their political affiliations.
It also directed that the victims and their family members be given protection by the state government till the completion of trial.
The bench passed the order on a batch of petitions filed by various people, including riot victims, seeking its direction to the state government for proper probe into the cases and for a CBI investigation.
