LUCKNOW: UP government has granted sanction to invoke sedition charges under Section 124 A of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against 44 persons accused of gruesome lynching of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and killing of a youth followed by major violence over alleged cow slaughter in Bulandshahr in December last year.
Notably, the violence was triggered when a tractor-trolley loaded with cow carcass was spotted by the villagers parked in a field of Mahaw village near Chingrawati Police picket under Syana police station area in Bulandshahr on December 3, 2018.
The protest of the residents of three adjoining villages had turned violent resulting in the lynching of SHO Syana police station Subodh Kumar Singh and killing of a youth Sumit by a police bullet. The villagers, who were protesting against illegal slaughterhouses and cow slaughter, had even set Chingrawati police picket afire.
Subsequently, an FIR was lodged against 27 (named) and over 80 unidentified persons for indulging in violence. They all were booked under over a dozen IPC Sections including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity), 333 (grievous hurt to public servant), 124A (Sedition).
In fact, the sedition charges are invoked against a person if found bringing or attempting to bring into hatred or contempt, or exciting disaffection towards the Government established by law through words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise. In such cases, the recommended punishment is at least the imprisonment for life.
Interacting with media on Friday, investigation officer (IO) in the case, Raghvendra Mishra said: "We have received the sanction letter from the state government to invoke sedition case against 44 accused in the violence. The letter has been submitted in the court."
It may be recalled that the IO was given a dressing down in the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court on March 6, 2019, for filing the charge sheet carrying the sedition charges under Section 124 A IPC against the accused without the state government’s sanction.
The main accused to be slapped with sedition charges include Bajrang Dal local convenor Yogesh Raj and BJP youth wing leader Shikhar Agarwal, both who were accused of instigating crowds and later remained absconding for a month. While Yogesh was arrested on January 3 while Agarwal was nabbed from Hapur on January 10.