BJP Lok Sabha candidate Varun Gandhi has been charged with attempt to murder, rioting and other offences in an FIR filed in connection with violence that erupted in Pilibhit even as police on Sunday maintained a close vigil to maintain law and order in this district.
29-year-old Varun, along with Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Kalraj Mishra, local MLA Sukhlal and former party MLA BK Gupta, have been named in another FIR registered for violation of prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC on Saturday when the BJP candidate courted arrest in a case related to his alleged anti-Muslim speeches, Kotwali police sources said.
Varun, who is in judicial custody, has been booked under sections 147, 148 and 149 (rioting and related charges), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 336 (doing any act that endangers human life or the personal safety of others) and certain sections of IPC and public safety and certain state acts for the violence around the district jail here, they said.
The FIR relating to rioting and other charges has been filed by Pilibhit district jailor Mukesh Arora against Varun and his supporters after BJP activists fought a pitched battle with the police and laid a siege of the jail premises.
Meanwhile, Pilibhit district magistrate Ashok Chauhan discounted the allegation of BJP MP and Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi that a Muslim officer had injured several of supporters and said he was not deployed there.
Chauhan said, "I strictly don't agree with the comments of Maneka Gandhi. The person she is naming was not at all deployed at that place.
"We checked the records and we were careful about his deployment. He was at another place and the allegation is totally false," he said.
On the situation in Pilibhit, he said, "It is under control. People may be spreading rumours but as of now the situation in the city and rural areas is totally under control."
In Lucknow, additional director general of police Brij Lal, said, "A close vigil is being maintained in Pilibhit with deployment of adequate number of personnel from Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and police."
Asked about the cases registered against Gandhi, who courted on Saturday, he just said, "A case under section 188 of IPC has been registered against all those who violated the prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC."
During the violence yesterday, BJP workers, who were demanding Varun's release, had indulged in heavy brick batting and laid a siege of the district jail.
