Muzaffarnagar riots case: Court quashes non-bailable warrants against Uttar Pradesh minister Suresh Rana, three others

Muzaffarnagar: A local court has quashed non-bailable warrants issued against Uttar Pradesh minister Suresh Rana, BJP MLA Sangit Som and BJP MP Bhartendu Singh in connection with a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case. The NBWs were issued on 15 November following permission from the state government to prosecute them. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Madhu Gupta quashed non-bailable warrants against four persons: Rana, Som, Singh and a man identified as Chandra Pal. Their lawyer in a plea had contended they had already  been given bail under section 153a of the IPC (promoting enmity between different groups). Defence counsel Anil Jindal requested the court that the warrents be quashed. The accused are facing charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for violating prohibitory orders deterring public servants from discharging their duties and wrongful restraint. It is alleged that the accused participated in a mahapanchayat and incited violence through their speeches in the last week of August 2013.