UP riots: 2nd BJP MLA booked under National Security Act

Bharatiya Janata Party member of Legislative Assembly Suresh Rana, who was arrested for his alleged role in fanning communal violence in Muzaffarnagar, was booked on Thursday under the National Security Act. He is the second BJP MLA to be booked under the stringent act after party legislator Sangeet Som.

District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma told PTI that a warrant of NSA was served on him in the Banda district jail. Rana was the first legislator to be arrested for his alleged role in the riots.

He was arrested from Lucknow on September 20, soon after the conclusion of the monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh assembly.

A court in Muzaffarnagar had issued non-bailable warrants against 16 persons, including three BJP MLAs -- Rana, Sangeet Singh Som and Bhartendu Singh -- Bahujan Samaj Party MP from Muzaffarnagar, Qadir Rana; BSP MLAs Noor Saleem Rana and Jameel Ahmed, former Congress Minister, Saeeduzaman, and the Bharatiya Kisan Union chairman and spokesperson, Naresh Tikait and Rakesh Tikait.