BJP MLA Sangeet Som booked under NSA, two others get bail

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bjp-mla-sangeet-som-booked-under-nsa-two-others-get-bail/1173981/

The Uttar Pradesh government Tuesday invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against BJP MLA Sangeet Singh Som who was arrested on Saturday for allegedly uploading a fake video that provoked communal tension in Muzaffarnagar and also for making provocative speeches at a Mahapanchayat on September 7.

Muzaffarnagar District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said NSA had been invoked against Som, the BJP legislator from Sardhana in Meerut, currently lodged in Orai district jail, on the basis of cases registered against him.

Orai Jail Superintendent Anil Kumar Sudhakar, however, said they had not received any report regarding invoking of NSA against Som.

Meanwhile, Som's lawyer Anil Jindal said they will challenge the government action at appropriate level. Jindal also filed an application in a Muzaffarnagar court today seeking direction to shift Som back to Muzaffarnagar District Jail, stating that his transfer to Orai was illegal. The court directed Superintendent of Muzaffarnagar District Jail to file a reply and fixed the next hearing on September 26.

In a related development, BSP MLA Noor Saleem and BJP MLA Suresh Rana, who were arrested last Saturday for allegedly making provocative speeches, were granted bail today by different local courts.

Nasir Ali, the lawyer for Noor Saleem said the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Kiran Pal Singh granted bail to the Charthawal MLA and directed him to file two securities of Rs 30,000 each and a personal bond.

Similarly, Rana's lawyer Thakur Dushyanth Singh said Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sunder Lal granted bail to the BJP MLA from Thana Bhawan constituency in Shamli after directing him to file two securities of Rs 20,000 each and a personal bond. Rana is lodged in Banda District Jail.

The duo will be released after completing the formalities.

A court in Muzaffarnagar had last week issued arrest warrants against 16 politicians and community leaders including Som, BSP MP Qadir Rana, BJP MLA Bhartendu Singh, BSP MLAs Noor Saleem and Maulana Jameel, Congress leader Saeeduzaman and BKU chief Naresh Tikait.