Bareilly poster row: Police file chargesheet against cleric Tauqeer Raza, 37 others

Bareilly (UP), Dec 8 (PTI) Police have filed a chargesheet against cleric Tauqeer Raza, the prime accused in the September 26 violence in Bareilly in wake of the poster row, and 37 others in a local court, officials said on Monday.

Baradari police station filed the chargesheet against Raza, president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, his close aide Nafees and others, while investigations are continuing in nine other related cases in which Raza has also been named, they said.

The violence had allegedly erupted on September 26 over a dispute linked to "I Love Muhammad" posters.

According to police, mobs gathered at several locations in the city, hurled petrol bombs at police personnel, resorted to stone-pelting and firing, and looted weapons including a riot-control gun.

More than two dozen police personnel were injured in the unrest.

That night, 10 cases were registered across Kotwali, Baradari, Premnagar, Cantt and Qila police stations. Investigations in two key cases registered at Kotwali and Baradari were later transferred to the crime branch.

Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya said 38 accused, including Raza, were sent to jail following their arrests in the Baradari case, and the chargesheet was filed in court on Saturday after completion of the investigation.

"Investigations in the remaining cases are being expedited. Efforts are on to identify unnamed accused. All identified accused will be sent to jail and no innocent person will be harassed," Arya said.

Police said 19 accused were initially named in the case, while 55 more names surfaced during the probe. Of these, a chargesheet has been filed against 38 accused along with evidence.

Raza is currently lodged in Fatehgarh jail, while Nafees and several other accused are lodged in Bareilly jail, police added. PTI COR KIS DV DV