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Vikram Saini
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The Allahabad High Court has not given relief to former BJP MLA Vikram Saini, an accused in the famous Muzaffarnagar riots. The court has rejected the application filed demanding suspension of the sentence of two years till the appeal is decided. The court said that the sentence can be suspended in the rarest of rare cases. There is no valid ground to suspend the sentence. The disqualification of the petitioner will remain intact.
MLA convicted for causing disturbance of peace by a mob armed with deadly weapon with intent to endanger the life and safety of others, to deter public servant from discharge of his duty, by criminal force causing disturbance of law and order has been narrated. The court said, there was a danger to the lives of the citizens. His act also damaged the values of a healthy democracy. This order was given by Justice Samit Gopal while rejecting the application filed on the appeal of Vikram Singh Saini alias Vikar Saini. The court said that there is no ground to suspend the sentence of the petitioner.
The sentence can be suspended only in special circumstances. It was said on behalf of the petitioner that after the killing of three Hindu youths in Muzaffarnagar, riots broke out at many places. At that time there was SP government in the state and Vikram Saini was a strong leader of BJP. So due to political rivalry falsely implicated. No direct evidence has been found against him.
The police have registered an FIR and all the witnesses are also from the police. There is no independent witness. He is an elected MLA and his assembly membership has lapsed if the conviction is upheld. He will not even be able to contest elections in future. Therefore, pending the disposal of the appeal, the sentence should be suspended.
On October 11, 2022, 12 accused, including former MLA Vikram Saini, were convicted by the Special Court MP MLA for rioting in Muzaffarnagar and sentenced to two years imprisonment. Saini’s assembly membership was canceled on November 4 after the sentence was pronounced. By-election is to be held on this seat. During this, the special court had given interim bail after the sentence. Along with filing an appeal against the sentence, he had sought regular bail from the High Court, which was accepted by the High Court.
