The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh has issued a show-cause notice to Samajwadi Party MP Zia ur Rehman Barq for allegedly building a house without first obtaining the building map approval. The notice was issued on 5th December.
Earlier on Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Department demolished several homes in the area. The demolished houses were constructed over encroached land.
On 5th December, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Sambhal issued a notice under the Uttar Pradesh (Regulation of Building Operations) Act, 1958, underlining violations of local building rules. The notice mentions that for violation of this Act, a fine of Rs 10,000 can be imposed.
“You are expected to appear before the designated authority on 12-12 24 at 10 AM and clarify the situation. You should appear on the said date in person or through an authorized person and explain the reason. You are also informed that you should immediately stop the construction work and immediately inform this office in writing about stopping the construction work,” the notice issued in Hindi reads.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pesia acknowledged that the notice had been issued. Highlighting what the regulations say, Pesia said, “Anyone constructing a house within a regulated area is required to have a building map approved by authorities”. He added that Zia ur Rehman Barq and some others in the area have been issued show-cause notices for “not complying” with the required procedures.
Zia Ur Rehman Barq’s alleged role in Sambhal violence
Notably, Barq is among those charged in connection with the violence unleashed by Islamist mobs on 24th November in response to a court-ordered survey of the disputed Jama Masjid.
According to the FIR filed against him, Barq visited the mosque days before the violence without permission and incited unrest. Barq, however, has denied the allegations. In a statement, he claimed that when the violence broke out, he was not in the state, let alone in Sambhal.
The FIR read, “On November 22, Zia ur Rehman Barq visited the Jama Masjid. After offering Namaz, he gathered a crowd without administrative permission and made provocative statements. For political gain, he incited the crowd to disturb communal harmony.”
Furthermore, the FIR mentioned Suhail Iqbal, son of MLA Iqbal Mahmood, as being present in the crowd on the day the violence broke out. The FIR read, “Suhail Iqbal incited the crowd by saying, ‘Ziaur Rahman Barq is with us, we are also with you. We will not let anything happen to you; fulfil your intentions.’ As a result, the crowd became more violent.”
Barq has been named “Accused No. 1” while Iqbal has been named “Accused No. 2” in the FIR. Seven hundred to eight hundred unidentified individuals have also been booked in the same FIR. According to the FIR, a mob comprising 700–800 armed individuals gathered to disrupt the court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid. The FIR further stated that the mob snatched official weapons from police personnel and targeted the police with intent to kill. It read, “One person from the crowd fired at Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary to kill him. Anuj was shot in the leg and sustained injuries.”
A detailed OpIndia profile of Zia-ur-Rehman Barq can be read here.
