Muzaffarnagar riots: SP leader says no case against Azam Khan

 In the backdrop of demands for arrest of Cabinet Minister Azam Khan in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots, a senior SP leader today said no case or FIR had been registered against him and there was no basis for his arrest.

"No case has been registered against Azam Khan in connection with the violence in Muzaffarnagar, nor has he been named in any FIR. On what basis should he be arrested?" National General Secretary Ramasre Kushwaha told reporters here.

He was replying to a query that only leaders of BJP and other parties were being arrested for their alleged role in the riots, though there were allegations of Khan's involvement also.

A TV channel had aired a sting operation showing alleged political interference in functioning of police during the Muzaffarnagar riots.

Asked about the salute offered by Jailor at Orai jail to BJP MLAs arrested in the connection with the violence, he said the matter is being investigated and action will be taken against the Jailor.

Kushwaha said FIRs had been registered against those involved in the violence and they were being arrested irrespective of their parties.

"Law is the same for everybody. If Azam Khan had been involved in the violence, a case would have been registered against him and he would have been arrested. Since there is no case against him, this topic is null," he said.

Kushwaha said cases had been registered against 18 people, including a councillor of Samajwadi Party, and he has been arrested as well. "For SP, all the people who are guilty are same irrespective of which party they belong to," he asserted.