UP court orders notice against Yogi Adityanath in 19-year-old murder case

A local court in Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh has ordered issuance of a notice against chief minister Yogi Aditynath in a 19-year-old murder case of a gunner of a former SP leader, Talat Aziz.

Adityanath is one of the accused in the case, which pertains to the killing of Aziz’z gunner Satya Prakash Yadav during a communal clash in Bhitauli village of the district on February 10, 1999.

Aziz had accused him of leading a group which shot dead Yadav. However, Adityanath, too, had lodged a counter case against Aziz.

The then-Kalyan Singh-led BJP government handed over the probe to the CB-CID which submitted its report in 2001.

Aziz’s counsel Abdul Hameed Khan said the sessions court had on March 13 dismissed the cases against both Adityanath and Aziz, following which both the groups filed revision petitions.

Aziz filed the revision petition in the Allahabad high court which asked her to file it with the Maharajganj court, which she did on August 20.

“On August 24, the court sought a reply from the other party (Adityanath). Later, the court fixed the hearing on October 27 when he (Adityanath) has been asked to put his stand (before the court). He may or may not appear and his counsel (may do so),” Khan said.

The court also ordered issuance of notice to Aziz and fixed the hearing against her on October 5, he said.

A land dispute had led to the tension in Maharajganj at the time, with Muslims claiming the land as their graveyard while the Hindus said it was a dry pond used for puja purposes.

First Published: Sep 25, 2018 22:27 IST