In a major relief for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday rejected a petition which sought for a re investigation into his alleged role in the 2007 Gorakhpur riots:
Allahabad High Court rejects petition seeking re investigation into Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s alleged role in the 2007 riots in Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/wS4vhLfpBc
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 22, 2018
This re investigation sought in the form of a CBI probe was rejected by the High Court on the grounds that, it had found no discrepancy in the state police’s investigation into the matter, or the state’s refusal to prosecute CM Yogi. The state government in May, 2017 had refused to sanction the prosecution of Yogi Adityanath on the grounds that the alleged video of the hate speech was tampered.
Before this, Yogi had received another boost at the start of February when another Allahabad High Court judge dismissed a petition which sought criminal charges against him regarding these riots.
The matter dates back to 2007 when Yogi a Lok Sabha MP from Gorakhpur was arrested on the charges of disturbing peace and violating prohibitory orders. This was prompted after he along with his supporters gathered to a man’s death during communal clashes.
In November 2008, almost a year later, a FIR was lodged which alleged that Yogi and others had incited communal riots in 2007 via their hate speeches. A petition was also filed in the Allahabad High court by Parvez Parwaz and Asad Hayat (a supposed witness in the matter) regarding this matter.
These petitioners asked the High Court to direct an independent agency to carry out an investigation in this matter, which was rejected by the court today.
This petition if accepted would have seen Yogi probed under sections 302, 307, 153A, 395 and 295 of the IPC which relate to murder, promoting enmity among groups, dacoity and defiling religious places.
