Mohammad Moid Khan, a Samajwadi Party (SP) functionary, has been arrested for allegedly raping a minor in Ayodhya, leading to a swift and severe response from the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh Government. This high-profile case has brought to light Khan’s extensive history of alleged criminal activities, prompting a series of Government actions against his illegal properties and other activities.
Khan’s arrest marks a significant moment, as it is the first substantial legal action taken against him in over a decade. He was detained and sent to jail on charges of raping a 12-year-old girl, an incident that has intensified scrutiny of his past. Following the arrest, the State Government has initiated a series of demolitions targeting properties that Khan allegedly seized illegally.
The Yogi government’s renowned “bulldozer action” commenced with the demolition of a bakery owned by Khan. The bakery, constructed on 3,000 square feet of land that belonged to a pond, was demolished by district administration officials and local police early in the morning. This action followed a meeting between the victim’s family and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, where they raised concerns about the delay in the investigation.
The demolition of Khan’s bakery was conducted early in the morning, with district administration officials and local police overseeing the operation. A local resident, Surendra Singh, confirmed that the bakery was constructed illegally on pond land. The demolition marks the beginning of a broader crackdown on Khan’s properties.
Following the bakery’s demolition, the administration turned its attention to another property in Ayodhya’s Bhadarsa locality, which houses a Punjab National Bank branch. Although this building was spared immediate demolition, authorities issued an ultimatum to vacate it within six days due to its illegal construction on government land.
Satyendra Singh, Secretary of the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA), explained that the bakery’s demolition was initiated after confirming its illegal status. He further indicated that investigations are ongoing to identify other illegal properties owned by Khan, with plans to take similar actions.
This bulldozer action represents the second significant move within 24 hours of the victim’s family meeting with Adityanath. In a prior action, two policemen, including the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Pura-Kalandar police station and the Bhadarsha outpost in charge, were suspended due to alleged delays in the investigation.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has raised the issue of Moid Khan’s alleged crimes in the Assembly, questioning why no action was taken against him earlier and assuring that no culprit would be spared. BJP delegations have supported this stance, visiting the victim’s family to express solidarity and ensure justice.
Moid Khan’s family has come forward in his defence, claiming that the allegations are politically motivated due to his affiliation with the Samajwadi Party. They have requested a DNA test and stressed that the shopping complex under scrutiny does not belong to Khan but to an NRI friend.
Previous allegations against Moid Khan
Moid Khan’s criminal history extends back to the 2012 Durga Puja riots in Bhadrasa, where he was accused of inciting communal violence that resulted in the death of Bhola Gupta. Despite being jailed following an FIR, Khan maintained his influence, reportedly using his residence as a police post for the Bhadrasa locality. Locals, however, claimed that the police post was situated on a close associate’s property, not directly at Khan’s house.
Under Mohammed Ahmed’s protection, Khan rose to become the municipal president of the Samajwadi Party in 2012, leveraging his position to seize Government and private lands. His amassed wealth and influence starkly contrast to his limited formal education, which ended at a madrasa.
Following Khan’s recent arrest, several Dalit families have accused him of land seizures, leading the district administration to investigate his properties. Authorities suspect that Khan invested his relatives’ overseas earnings into various assets, which are now under scrutiny.
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