BSP MLA faces SC Act charge

The police on Sunday lodged a case under the SC Act against ruling Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Ashok Rana and two of his relatives, and charged them with attempt to murder. Rana is an MLA from Dhampur constituency of Bijnore district.

Rana termed the charges a “conspiracy of his political rivals within the party” to defame him and his family. “I had gone out of the town to make preparations for my niece’s marriage, yet they have named me in the FIR,” he told the Hindustan Times over phone from Dhampur, admitting that a case had been lodged under the SC Act and that attempt-to-murder charges had been brought against him.

His nephew and cousin have also been named in the FIR. The complainant has charged them with beating and confining him when he demanded payment for decoration work he and others did in the MLA’s house.

Rana had hired a flower decorator from nearby JP Nagar to decorate his house for pre-marriage ceremonies. When the decorator asked for payment, the MLA’s cousin and nephew reportedly thrashed him along with his men. They allegedly kept him and some others in their custody for hours.

When the villagers came to know about the incident, they blocked the road and demanded stern action against the MLA and his men. Their anger subsided only when officials assured them to lodge a case.

“I have ordered a probe,” said SSP Jitendra Sonkar, adding that the charges leveled against the MLA needed to be verified before action can be initiated against him.