Muzaffarnagar court allows withdrawal of 2013 riot cases against 25 BJP leaders

A special MP-MLA court in Muzaffarnagar has granted permission to withdraw cases against 25 BJP leaders and Hindu activists related to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The decision follows an application by the prosecution, which was filed after the Uttar Pradesh government decided to withdraw the cases.

The accused included several high-profile figures such as Minister Kapil Dev Aggarwal, former Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan, former Minister Suresh Rana, former MP Kunwar Bharatendu Singh, and Sadhvi Prachi. The charges involved violations of prohibitory orders during a ‘Mahapanchayat’ held on July 31, 2013, obstructing government employees, and inciting communal tension through speeches.

Following the court's decision, Sadhvi Prachi stated that she and others were framed through ‘political propaganda’ while attempting to protect the Hindu community. She expressed gratitude to the judiciary and the current Uttar Pradesh government for what she described as a fair process.