The Allahabad High Court has paused proceedings in a Sambhal court against Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq, who is facing charges linked to last year’s communal violence in the district.
Barq, elected from the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat, approached the High Court seeking to have the chargesheet against him thrown out.
Justice Sameer Jain, hearing the plea, issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, asking it to file its reply within three weeks. The case will be taken up again on September 9. Senior advocates Imran Ullah, Vineet Vikram, and Iqbal Ahmed represented the MP, while Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal argued for the state.
Allegations Over Provocative Speech
Police allege Barq delivered a speech outside Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid on November 24, 2024, that incited violence after a planned survey was opposed by local mosque leaders. The unrest left four people dead and led to multiple cases being filed.
Investigation & Co-Accused
According to Sambhal SP KK Bishnoi, SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood’s son, Sohail Iqbal, was initially named in the case but later dropped from the chargesheet for lack of evidence. Twelve cases were registered in total, with seven chargesheets filed and 92 arrests made.
Barq, Jama Masjid Sadar chief Zafar Ali, and several others have been formally named in FIR number 335/2024. Investigators claim Barq’s speech and coordination with local leaders played a central role in mobilising the crowd that day.
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