Allahabad HC stays arrest of SP MP Ziaur Rahman Barq

Mumbai: The Allahabad High Court on Friday issued a temporary stay on the arrest of Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq, who is accused in connection with the violence that erupted in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, during a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a historic Mughal-era mosque.

However, the court refused to quash the FIR filed against him.

The FIR, registered at the Sambhal police station, alleges that Barq provoked the violence during the court-ordered survey of the mosque, which ultimately resulted in the deaths of four people.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Justices Rajiv Gupta and Azahar Husain Idrisi, after hearing the petition filed by Barq. His counsel, Imran Ullah, and the additional government advocate presented their arguments before the court. While granting the stay on Barq’s arrest, the bench clarified that the investigation would continue, and instructed the MP to cooperate fully with the authorities.

This decision ensures that the investigation into the violence remains ongoing, while Barq avoids immediate arrest. The case continues to evolve, and the final outcome will depend on further legal proceedings.