Archive · 14 Aug 2026
Court allows withdrawal of 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case against 25
In 2013, big fights and violence happened in a place in India called Muzaffarnagar, and these are called the Muzaffarnagar riots.
At least 60 people died, and many families, mostly Muslim families, had to leave their homes.
Before the riots, some leaders and activists held a big meeting called a mahapanchayat at a village named Nagla Mador on July 31, 2013.
The police said that the speeches at that meeting broke rules, stopped public servants from doing their jobs, and made different communities angry at each other.
Because of this, a court case was started against 25 leaders and activists from the BJP and Hindu organisations.
Later, the government of Uttar Pradesh decided it did not want the case to continue.
So the government's lawyers asked the judge, Devendra Kumar Faujdar, to drop the case, and on Wednesday he agreed.
This means the 25 people will not have to go to trial for these charges.
In a separate case in February, another court also let 37 people go free over the killing of eight people during the riots.
A special MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh allowed the prosecution to withdraw a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots-related case against 25 leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindutva groups.
Judge Devendra Kumar Faujdar approved the withdrawal on Wednesday, prosecution officer Rahul Singh told PTI, after the prosecution moved following the Uttar Pradesh government's decision.
The accused included state minister Kapil Dev Agarwal, former Union minister Sanjeev Balyan, former state minister Suresh Rana, former minister Ashok Kataria, former BJP MPs Bhartendu Singh and Sohanvir Singh, former BJP MLAs Ashok Kansal and Umesh Malik, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Sadhvi Prachi and Narsinghanand.
The charges related to speeches at a mahapanchayat at Nagla Mador on July 31, 2013, alleging violation of prohibitory orders, obstruction of public servants and incitement of communal tension.
The September 2013 riots, which followed alleged inflammatory speeches by leaders including Sangeet Som and Bharatendra Singh, killed at least 60 people and displaced over 40,000; in February a court acquitted 37 people in the killing of eight persons during the riots.
- Who
- Judge Devendra Kumar Faujdar of the special MP-MLA court; the 25 accused included Kapil Dev Agarwal, Sanjeev Balyan, Suresh Rana, Ashok Kataria, Bhartendu Singh, Sohanvir Singh, Ashok Kansal, Umesh Malik, Sadhvi Prachi and Narsinghanand.
- What
- The court permitted the prosecution to withdraw a 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots-related case against 25 BJP leaders and Hindu activists.
- When
- The withdrawal was allowed on Wednesday; the case stemmed from a mahapanchayat on July 31, 2013, and the riots erupted in September 2013.
- Where
- A special MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh; the mahapanchayat took place at Nagla Mador in Muzaffarnagar district.
- Why
- The prosecution applied to withdraw the case following the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to drop it.
- Accused count
- 25 BJP leaders and Hindu activists
- Key accused
- Kapil Dev Agarwal, Sanjeev Balyan, Suresh Rana, Ashok Kataria, Bhartendu Singh, Sohanvir Singh, Sadhvi Prachi, Narsinghanand, among others
- Presiding judge
- Devendra Kumar Faujdar
- Linked event
- 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots
- Riots impact
- At least 60 killed; thousands of Muslim families displaced (over 40,000 per official figures); reports of sexual assault and abuse in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli
- Mahapanchayat
- July 31, 2013, at Nagla Mador, Muzaffarnagar
- Allegations
- Violating prohibitory orders, obstructing public servants, inciting communal tension
- Withdrawal basis
- Uttar Pradesh government's decision
