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 on Saturday 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 B K 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 chages 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.
{{/usCountry}}The FIR relating to rioting and other chages 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.
{{/usCountry}}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.