SP raises issue of its jailed MLA Zahid Beg in UP Assembly

Lucknow, Feb 28 (PTI) The Samajwadi Party on Friday raised the issue of its jailed MLA Zahid Beg in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly and demanded his release.

On the seventh day of the Budget Session of the legislature, SP MLA Dr RK Verma raised the issue of Zahid Beg under Rule-300 (Points of Order and Decisions thereon).

Verma said that Beg should be a part of the session, but he is imprisoned on the basis of "fabricated" complaint and evidence in a maid's suicide case. Verma also accused police of applying "double-standards".

Taking the names of former SP minister Azam Khan and former MLA Irfan Solanki, who are currently in jail, he asked whether being an SP MLA or a Muslim is a "crime" in this government.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey requested the government to get it investigated.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna intervened on Verma's statement and said that the matter is sub-judice and such things should not be said. Khanna said that any allegation based on a particular caste is not right, adding that it is not the thinking of the government.

In September last year, police recovered the body of the maid of SP MLA Beg from his private residence in the Bhadohi district. The maid had allegedly committed suicide. Later, police registered two separate FIRs in this case against the SP MLA from the Bhadohi Assembly constituency, his wife and son. PTI AR NAV MNK MNK

Source: PTI