Charges Framed Against Ex-BJP MLA In 2013 Muzaffarnagar Riots Case

A special MP/MLA court on Tuesday framed charges against former BJP MLA Vikram Saini and 26 others for promoting enmity between different religions in a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case.

Saini, a two-time MLA from Khatauli, was disqualified from Uttar Pradesh Assembly last year after he was convicted for rioting and other offences and sentenced to two years imprisonment in the case.

Police filed a separate charge sheet under section 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion...) of the Indian Penal Code in the case after getting sanction from the state government as required under Section 196(1) of the Code Of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

According to assistant prosecution officer Arvind Kumar, Special Jjudge of MP/MLA court Mayank Jaiswal framed charges against 27 persons including Saini under section 153A IPC and fixed June 21 for the next hearing in the case.

All 27 accused were present in the court.

Saini and others were facing trial for their alleged role in violence on August 28, 2013 at Kawal village when a crowd was returning after the cremation of two Jat youths. In the communal clashes that followed in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in August and September 2013, nearly 60 people were killed and 40,000 displaced.

The court acquitted 15 other accused for lack of evidence.

The BJP had fielded Saini's wife Rajkumari in the by-election to the Khatauli assembly seat in December last year. She lost to SP-RLD candidate Madan Bhaiya by more than 20,000 votes.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)