BJP MLA held for role in Muzaffarnagar riots
Source: The Sangai Express / TNN
Lucknow, September 20 2013 :
BJP MLA from Thana Bha-wan Suresh Rana accused of inciting communal violence in Muzaffarnagar was arrested here on Friday.
He was arres-ted after the state assembly session was adjourned sine die.
Rana was present in the assembly and was given a chance to present his defence on the floor of the house.
Later, while talking to re-porters he dared the govt to arrest him and punish if found guilty.
Rana was arrested from Gomtinagar area soon after he left the state assembly in the evening.
BJP condemned arrest of Rana pointing out that no action had been taken against the accused leaders of other political parties including ruling Samajwadi Party.
Other BJP MLAs accus-ed in the case are Hukum Singh, Sangeet Singh Som and Kunwar Bhartendu Singh.
Police said that raids were being conducted in search of the other accused.
Non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against 20 people including several po-liticians by two local courts in Muzaffarnagar on Wed-nesday.
Besides three BJP MLAs, warrants were issued against BSP MP Kadir Rana, BSP MLAs Noor Sa-lim Rana and Maulvi Jamil and former Congress MP Sayeed-uz-Zaman.
Earlier, MLAs of the ruling Samajwadi Party and BJP came to blows in the assembly.
The house was ad-journed for 25 minutes after BJP raised a storm in response to senior minister Ambika Chaudhary's remarks against a party mem- ber.
BJP and SP members, including several ministers, indulged in a free-for-all in the well of the House.
The problem started after question hour when Suresh Rana was given a chance to present a clarification on the floor of the House.
Rana said he came to know about the FIR against him through the media and asked the govt to examine the CD of the speech.
Rana said he was ready to face punishment if proved guilty and made a re-ference to involvement of some ruling party members, causing SP leaders to shout him down.