UP worst hit if criminal cases are expedited

Uttar Pradesh will be one of the worst hit states if criminal cases against MPs and MLAs are fast- tracked and expedited at the earliest.

Among the MPs, the BJP will be adversely affected since it has maximum MPs ( 71 out of 80) from Uttar Pradesh with a criminal background and if even half of them get convicted, the party could be in for trouble.

For instance, some of the MPs facing serious criminal charges include Sachchidanand Sakshi Maharaj, who won the Unnao seat, is facing a number of criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, provoking communal disharmony, rob- bery, dacoity etc.

He hit the headlines last year in the murder of his own acolyte Sujata Varma and had earlier been accused of raping one Durga Bharti who stayed in his ashram.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been elected from Kaiserganj, is facing charges related to attempt to murder, causing communal disharmony and robbery and dacoity.

He was also an accused in case related to giving shelter to members of the Dawood Ibrahim gang.

Rama Shankar Katheria, the BJP MP from Agra, has the highest number of criminal cases against him. He is facing 21 cases.

Daddan Misra, from Shravasti, faces serious criminal charges since the time he was a BSP MLA.

Mahant Yogi Adityanath also faces a number of criminal charges- most of the related to communal violence.

Keshav Maurya, who won from Phulpur, faces 11 criminal cases including cases under the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

Bhartendu ( Bijnore), Lallu Singh ( Faizabad), Ajay Misra Teni ( Lakhimpur) and Bhairon Prasad Misra ( Banda) also have criminal cases against them.

Senior BJP leaders Dr Murli Manohar Joshi and Union minister Uma Bharti are also facing charges in the Ayodhya demolition case.

Apart from this, there are two dozen BJP MPs who also have criminal cases.