The state government has decided to withdraw criminal cases pending against Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt in Pratapgarh, Barabanki and Mau.
The previous Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government had filed cases against Dutt during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when he was campaigning for the Samajwadi Party (SP).
While the Pratapgarh and Barabanki cases pertained to his alleged ‘pappi-jhappi’ comments on Mayawati, the Mau case was registered for allegedly flaring up communal sentiments.
Dutt’s advocate Kunwar Siddharth Singh said on Monday that the state law department has directed the district magistrates of the three districts to move their respective court for the withdrawal of the cases.
In the Mau case, the police had accused Dutt of delivering inflammatory speech to woo Muslim voters. The Allahabad high court had stayed proceedings in the case May last.
Singh said in none of the cases, the prosecution could arrange even a single public eyewitness.
Dutt, who was a star campaigner of SP in 2009 parliamentary election, had approached the state government recently for withdrawal of the case.
Thereafter, the home department had sought report from the districts. Later, the law department examined the issue and finally decided to withdraw the cases.
{{/usCountry}}Thereafter, the home department had sought report from the districts. Later, the law department examined the issue and finally decided to withdraw the cases.
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