December 20 violence in Bijnor: Looking into Cong leader’s role, says police

Police had picked up Sherbaaz on Wednesday and questioned him on the basis of the inputs. He was later let off with an instruction that he should appear before the SIT investigating violence cases when called.

“We are probing the role of Sherbaaz… It is suspected that he instigated the protesters,” said Bijnor SP Sanjeev Tyagi.

Sherbaaz Khan, who has nine criminal cases against him, had unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly elections on Congress ticket from Chandpur seat in Bijnor.

When contacted, Sherbaaz Khan said, “On Wednesday, policemen stopped me while I was on my way home after attending a court hearing. I was taken to the Kotwali police station where cops accused me of instigating people. I denied the charges and asked them to show evidence, which they failed to produce. I asked the policemen to check if I had made any calls to protesters on December 20.

“Police let me go with a warning to appear whenever called,” said Sherbaaz, alleging that all cases against him were “politically motivated.”

Additional Superintendent of Police, City, Laxmi Niwas Mishra said, “Sherbaaz was called by police on Wednesday and later he was let off. Investigation about his role is going on.” He refused to share further details about the investigation.