Assault on power dept staffers: SP MLA among two acquitted

Defence Counsel Rashid Ali Chauhan identified the other person booked in the case as Haider Ali, a resident of Shamli.

According to Chauhan, the case dates back to July 11, 2019 when then sub-divisional officer (SDO) of the electricity department, Nazim Ahmed filed an FIR against unidentified persons at the Jhinjhana police station. Complainant had alleged that when he along with electric technician Ravindra Kumar were on their way to Sikandarpur electricity house in a car, unidentified persons stopped their vehicle in front of them. When they came out of the car, the assailants attacked them with sticks. After some local residents intervened, the assailants left. A case was registered on several charges, including voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty. During the course of investigation, the police added attempt to murder charge and booked Nahid Hasan and Haider Ali in the case.

Chauhan added that the complainant had claimed that days before the alleged attack, he along with his team conducted a drive to nab people involved in power theft. He got 11 FIRs lodged against people allegedly involved in power theft.

Hasan, a two-time MLA, was arrested in January last year on charge under the Gangster Act, was released from jail in December on bail. Hasan contested the previous assembly election from inside jail and won, defeating the BJP’s Mriganka Singh.