(Representational Image)
Saharanpur police invoked the Gangsters’ Act against local BSP MLC Mehmood Ali, his elder brother and former BSP MLC Haji Iqbal and latter’s sons Javed Iqbal and Wajid Iqbal, in connection with three criminal cases lodged against them during last year.
On Tuesday, 30-year-old Javed was arrested and produced before a local court which sent him to jail. Raids are on to arrest other accused. A team has also been sent to Delhi to trace them, said Mirzapur police station house officer (SHO) Yogesh Sharma.
“Gangsters Act was invoked Sunday on basis of three cases lodged against them at Mirzapur station. We have completed probe into all three and filed chargesheets. Accused had obtained arrest stay from Allahabad High Court in all three cases,” said Sharma.
According to police records, Iqbal, Ali, and Javed were booked on April 4 on a complaint filed by a man named Rakesh Kumar Arora who alleged that the brothers grabbed his land and constructed a building on it. Arora had not mentioned the exact date of the incident.
Earlier, a case was filed by a native of Haridwar in Uttarakhand, Mohammad Rashid, on August 5, 2017, who alleged that Wajid had taken around Rs 50 lakh from him and failed to return it. He had alleged that when he went to ask for the money, he was threatened.
Another case was filed by a revenue clerk, Pankaj Kumar, on November 2, 2017, alleging Iqbal had grabbed government land and had raised a building on it.
Sharma further said, “after completing legal formalities, we will proceed to seek the court order for attachment of properties of the accused under Gangsters’ Act on the basis of evidences.”
When contacted Saharanpur SSP Upendra Agrawal said, “We are maintaining secrecy on the criminal cases referred to initiate Gangsters Act.”
While none of the accused could be reached for comment, BSP Saharanpur chief Rishipal Gautam said the cases against MLC Ali and his family members were politically motivated and the cases were false.