Reprieve for Samajwadi MP Ziar ur Rahman Barq in Sambhal Violence Case

The Allahabad High Court has issued a stay on the proceedings against Samajwadi Party MP Ziar ur Rahman Barq in the Sambhal violence case, a move that comes after Barq contested the chargesheet and subsequent legal processes.

In granting the temporary reprieve, Justice Samir Jain responded to Barq's plea, which argued that the charges against him were unfounded as he was not inciting violence and was not present at the riot scene, being in Bangalore at the time. The High Court has now allowed the government until three weeks to furnish an affidavit addressing Barq's claims, with a subsequent hearing set for September 9.

This case arises from an incident on November 24, 2024, when violence erupted during a survey at the Jama Masjid in Sambhal, resulting in an FIR lodged by Sub-Inspector Deepak Rathi against several individuals, including Barq and Suhail Iqbal, a co-accused exonerated by the police. Barq challenges the legal actions taken against him, asserting his innocence in the matter.