4 from ABHM held for filing false cow slaughter FIR to frame rivals: Police

Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested a leader and three other members of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) for allegedly filing a false case of cow slaughter to frame a rival group in Agra, officials said on Thursday.

The official said the four, ABHM national spokesperson Sanjay Jat and members Brajesh Bhadoria, Saurav Sharma and Jitendra Kushwaha were arrested on Wednesday and sent to jail.

Several criminal cases are pending against the four in various police stations of Agra, he added.

"They all have been booked under IPC section 429 and sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act," Raj Kumar, in-charge of the Itimad-ud-Daulah police station, told PTI.

Police said Kushwaha had lodged a complaint at the behest of a group of Muslims on March 30, alleging an incident cow slaughter in the Itmad-ud-Daulah area. He had named Rizwan alias Kalla, Nakeem, Viju alias Chhotu, Shanu alias Illi, and Imran in the police complaint.

Police then arrested two of those named in the FIR Shanu and Imran.

They told the police that they were being framed in the case by a rival Muslim group, who had contacted the ABHM and got the case filed against them.

Assistant Commissioner of Police R K Singh said their investigation found the FIR filed was false and intended to frame the five men. "The ABHM members, including its national spokesperson Sanjay Jat, were alleged to be involved in lodging the false FIR to put pressure on police to frame the rival group," Singh added.