MEERUT: Six months after the violence in Bulsandshahr where a police inspector as well as a protester were killed by a mob, the Uttar Pradesh government has granted sanction for sedition case against 44 accused who are currently in jail.

On December 3 last year, in the case of an alleged cow slaughter, protesters had loaded cattle carcasses in a tractor trolley and placed it in front of Chingrawati police post in the district, which resulted in a heated argument between the police and agitated youths.

Soon afterwards, an unruly mob indulged in violence at the police outpost which resulted in the murder of Siyana police station SHO Subodh Singh and Sumit Singh, a protester. Chingrawati police picket was also set on fire.

Police had booked 27 (named) and more than 60 unnamed for the violence under more than a dozen IPC sections, including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity), 333 (grievous hurt to public servant), 124A (sedition) etc.

According to Khurja circle officer Raghvendra Mishra, who is also the investigating officer in the case, “We have received the sanction letter from the state government for sedition case against 44 accused in the violence. The letter has been submitted in court.”

Notably, on March 6, 2019, after police had filed the chargesheet which included sedition charges under IPC’s Section 124 A, the chief judicial magistrate’s court had pulled up the investigation officer Mishra as to “why sedition charges were applied without the approval by the state government”.

