Moradabad Jail Officers Allow Samajwadi Party Leaders To Meet Sambhal Violence Accused, Yogi Government Suspends Them

A day after a delegation of Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders visited Moradabad Jail in Uttar Pradesh to meet individuals accused of involvement in the Sambhal violence, the state government led by Yogi Adityanath suspended Jailer Vikram Yadav and Deputy Jailer Praveen Singh on Tuesday (3 December) night.

According to Indian Express sources, the Senior Superintendent of Moradabad Jail, P P Singh, may also face action for permitting the Opposition leaders to interact with the detainees. These individuals were arrested following the violent clashes in Sambhal on 24 November, during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.

The SP delegation, which visited the accused, included former MP Dr S T Hasan, MLAs Nawab Jan Khan and Samarpal Singh, as well as party officials Mudassir Khan and Gulzar Ahmed. After the visit, the leaders claimed many of the detainees bore visible injury marks.

Speaking to the media, Hasan stated, "Many individuals arrested after the Sambhal violence are imprisoned here. During such incidents, innocent bystanders often get caught up in the situation. We met them to offer legal support and ensure justice for those who have been falsely booked."

Hasan further alleged that prior to their transfer to Moradabad Jail, the accused were detained at various police stations in Sambhal, where they were subjected to mistreatment, leaving visible marks of abuse.

In response, the state government sought a report from Moradabad District Magistrate Anuj Singh. Following its submission, the suspensions were ordered. The inquiry revealed that the SP delegation had been allowed to meet the detainees in violation of the Jail Manual, which requires proper visitor authorisation.

Senior Superintendent of Moradabad Jail, P P Singh, stated that he had not received any directives from the government prohibiting meetings with those accused in the Sambhal violence case. "MPs and legislators are usually allowed to meet inmates without slips, and I followed it," he explained.

In connection with the violence, the police have apprehended 33 people, including women, and have also charged SP MP Zia ur Rahman for allegedly making inflammatory speeches. Suhel Iqbal, son of SP MLA Nawab Iqbal Mehmood, was also booked. The incident resulted in four deaths and injuries to dozens of people, including 29 police officers.