UP Assembly to turn into court today

Lucknow, March 3 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh Assembly will turn into a court on Friday and hold a hearing to decide the period of imprisonment to be awarded to a retired IAS officer (former circle officer, Kanpur Nagar) and five serving policemen for breach of privilege of a member of the house -- Salil Vishnoi, the then BJP MLA from Kanpur -- in Kanpur Nagar on September 15, 2004.

According to Assembly officials, a dock will be placed in the House and principal secretary (home) and DGP have been asked to hand over the accused to the House.

This will be after 34 years that the House will turn into a court to hold a hearing in a breach of privilege case.

On March 2, 1989, the Assembly had summoned Shankar Dutt Ojha, an officer of the then UP Terai Vikas Janjati Nigam, who was accused of misbehaving with Hardev, member of the House.

It may be recalled that on September 15, 2004, Vishnoi was leading a delegation to submit a memorandum against power cuts in Kanpur to the district magistrate (Kanpur Nagar) when police personnel misbehaved with him.

Assembly speaker Satish Mahana directed principal secretary (home) and the DGP to produce the police personnel before the assembly after a resolution was adopted in this regard.

Minister for parliamentary affairs Suresh Khanna had moved the resolution in the House recommending that these personnel be produced before the House and their imprisonment be considered.

Those to be produced before the House on Friday include the then CO Babupurva, Kanpur Nagar, Abdul Samad (who switched over to another service and has retired as an IAS officer), then SHO, Kidwai Nagar police station, Rishikant Shukla, then S-I at Kotwali police station Triloki Singh, then constable at Kidwai Nagar police station Chhotey Singh Yadav, then constable at Kakadev police station Vinod Mishra and then constable at Kakadev police station Meharban Singh Yadav.

Vishnoi had given information about the breach of privilege to the House on October 25, 2004.

He enclosed newspaper clippings, photographs and medical report, along with his notice, informing the House about the breach of privilege.

On July 28, 2005, then deputy speaker of the state legislative assembly and then chairman of the privilege committee Rajesh Agarwal had submitted recommendations to award imprisonment to then CO (Babupurwa) Abdul Samad and reprimand other policemen by summoning them to the House.

The Assembly will now consider imprisonment of all the six accused and termination of services of five amongst them.