UP Bareilly poster row accused Raza nine others booked for 'land grabbing'

Bareilly (UP), Dec 14 (PTI) Maulana Tauqeer Raza, who is currently behind bars for his alleged involvement in the 'I Love Muhammad' row here, has been booked along with nine others for allegedly threatening a 95-year-old man and his family, demanding transfer of land ownership, police said on Sunday.
     According to them, when the accused faced resistance from Mukaddar Beg while trying to grab his land, Raza's associates allegedly entered the nonagerarian's house, threatened his family, molested the women and also subjected the family to continuous mental harassment.
     Distressed by the harassment, Shakir Beg, son of Mukaddar Beg, consumed poison. He has been admitted to the district hospital in a serious condition.
     The complaint was filed by Shakir Beg's daughter, Laiba, on Saturday. A case under Sections 318(4) (cheating), 333 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(3) (criminal intimidation), 75 (sexual harassment) and 61(2) (party to criminal conspiracy) of the BNS has been registered, the police said.
     Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya said that Maulana Tauqeer Raza, his brother-in-law Mohsin Raza, Sharik Beg, Taufeeq Beg, Shahid Beg, Shavir, Shadiq, Ikram Beg, Irfan Beg, and Vicky have been named in the FIR.
     The allegations are serious, including points such as property dispute, assault, molestation, and abetment to suicide, he said.
     A fair investigation will be conducted into all the facts, and strict legal action will be taken against whoever is found guilty, the police said. According to the complaint, Maulana Tauqeer Raza and Mohsin Raza connived with Laiba's uncles -- Shariq Beg, Shahid Beg, Shakir Beg, and Shahid Begm -- pressured the 95-year-old man's family into transferring the land to Shakir Beg's brothers.
     The complaint said that to seize the land, the accused threatened the victim's family with weapons and issued serious death threats. Mohsin Raza, Ikram Beg, and Vicky allegedly entered the house and threatened the family again, continuously trying to pressure them, the police said.
     Shakir Beg said, "For the past seven years, Maulana Tauqeer Raza, Mohsin Raza, and Ikram Beg have been mentally and physically harassing our family. Due to their money and influence, we were unable to resist them. Finally, fed up with this continuous torture, I consumed poison on December 11."
     Violence in Bareilly had allegedly erupted on September 26 over a dispute linked to "I Love Muhammad" posters.
     According to the police, mobs gathered at several locations in the city, allegedly hurled petrol bombs at personnel, resorted to stone-pelting and firing, and looted weapons, including a riot-control gun.
     More than two dozen police personnel were injured in the unrest, the police said.
     That night, 10 cases were registered across Kotwali, Baradari, Premnagar, Cantt and Qila police stations. Investigations in two key cases registered at Kotwali and Baradari were later transferred to the Crime Branch.
     The police said 19 accused were initially named in the case, while 55 more names surfaced during the probe. Of these, a chargesheet has been filed against 38 accused along with evidence.
     Raza is currently lodged in Fatehgarh jail, while his close aide Nafees and several other accused are lodged in Bareilly jail, the police added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)