Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The state government has moved an application in a Moradabad court to withdraw a case lodged against Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan,Minister of State for Textile and Sericulture Mehboob Ali and others in 2008.
The case was lodged after Azam Khan and others blocked the Moradabad-Haridwar highway for over four hours and held a demonstration outside Chhajlet police station in January 2008. The ministers allegedly led a mob of 1,000 persons,according to the then Station Officer Asif Ali Khan. After investigation,the police filed the chargesheet on May 29,2008.
Moradabads Special Prosecuting Officer A K Kaushik said the case was pending in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate. He confirmed that an application to withdraw the case had been filed in court.
On December 31,2007,there was a terrorist attack on the CRPF camp in Rampur,following which there was a state-wide alert. On January 2,2008,the Moradabad police stopped an SUV,fitted with a red beacon and dark tinted glasses,for checking.
When the policemen were questioning the driver,Azam Khan came out of the vehicle and asked the policemen the reason for stopping his vehicle. Irked over the incident,he sat on dharna outside Chhajlet police station. He was soon joined by several Samajwadi Party workers and MLA from Amroha Mehboob Ali. There was a huge protest on the road which blocked the highway. The matter was resolved after the intervention of senior police officials.
The police later registered a case on the charges of rioting,wrongful restraint,assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty,Criminal Law Amendment Act and the Motor Vehicle Act.
