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SP MLA Solanki fears being killed in encounter
He was brought to the MP-MLA court in Kanpur from the Maharajganj jail for the verdict in the Jajmau arson case, but the matter was postponed again
KANPUR A dramatic scene unfolded at the MP-MLA court in Kanpur on Thursday when one of the accused in the Jajmau arson case, Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki, expressed apprehension about a potential encounter by the UP police.
While being escorted to the court under tight security, Solanki also repeatedly referred to himself as ‘janwar’ (an animal). He was brought from the Maharajganj jail for the verdict in the case that was expected to be delivered on Thursday. But the matter was postponed again. The court had deferred the judgement six times since March 12.
During a brief interaction with media, Solanki questioned the circumstances in which he was being produced.
“I am not in police custody but judicial custody. Why I was kept in police lines...you should ask the police commissioner,” he said, adding: “I hope there is no such news of me suffering a heart attack like Mukhtar Ansari or killed in an encounter.”
Special Judge Satyendra Nath Tripathi of the MP-MLA sessions court scheduled a re-hearing in the case on April 6. Prosecution lawyer Bhaskar Mishra said the court intends to clear all the technicalities before delivering the judgement. The defence was not prepared for the arguments on Thursday thus April 6 had been fixed.
Defence lawyer Saeed Naqvi said the arguments were necessitated as there was contradiction in the testimonies of 18 prosecution witnesses.
The Jajmau arson case stems from a fire that broke out at the home of Nazir Fatima in Defence Colony of Jajmau on November 7, 2022. Hearings have been on against Irfan, his brother Rizwan, Mohd Sharif, Shaukat Ali, Haji Ajjan and Israel Aatawala. Besides Solanki, Rizwan, Shaukat Ali and Israel Aatawala are in Kanpur jail while Mohammad Sharif and Ajjan were released on bail.
