HC stays arrest of Karni Sena leader in Agra MP house attack case

The Allahabad high court has stayed the arrest of Karni Sena leader Okendra Singh Rana in connection with two FIRs related to the alleged attack on the residence of Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ram Ji Lal Suman in Agra. The incident followed a controversial statement made by the MP in the Parliament about medieval Rajput ruler Rana Sanga.

A division bench of Justice Siddharth and Justice Harvir Singh passed the interim order and fixed the matter for further hearing after six weeks. The bench clarified that the protection granted would depend on the petitioner’s cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

The court further directed that the investigating officer may arrest the petitioner if credible evidence emerges during the investigation, but only after recording reasons in writing and by the Supreme Court’s guidelines laid down in the Arnesh Kumar case.

The first FIR (first information report) was lodged by Randhir Suman, a former MLA and son of MP Ram Ji Lal Suman, at Hariparwat police station in Agra on March 27, a day after members of Karni Sena allegedly vandalised the MP’s residence. A second FIR was filed by a sub-inspector deployed in the MP’s security.

Rana, the petitioner, sought protection from arrest in both cases, contending that his name did not appear in either FIR and that he was later falsely implicated during the investigation.

On March 26, members of Karni Sena reportedly stormed the MP’s residence in Agra, leading to property damage and a tense security situation.