Former MLA arrested for supplyingphone to jailed kin, also an ex-MLA

Agra: Former Bijnor MLA Mohammad Ghazi was arrested by police of Muzaffarnagar's Nai Mandi Kotwali on Wed night for allegedly supplying a mobile phone to his relative -- former BSP MLA Shahnawaz Rana -- who is currently in jail.

Investigation revealed the phone recovered from Rana's prison cell in Muzaffarnagar on March 25, was registered in the name of Ghazi's worker, Aamir. During questioning, Aamir told police he had given the SIM card to Ghazi.

SP (city), Satyanarayan Prajapat, told TOI: "A case was registered against Ghazi at Nai Mandi thana under BNS sections 318 (cheating) and 338 (criminalises forgery of valuable documents). He was produced before the magistrate on Thursday and sent to jail."

Notably, Rana was arrested in Dec 2024 after a woman GST officer accused him of "indecency and issuing life threats" during a raid at an ex-MP's factory. Rana was lodged in jail and later moved to Chitrakoot prison. Jailer Rajesh Kumar had filed a case against Rana for "threats and possession of an unauthorised phone".

Upon further inquiry, authorities found that Ghazi allegedly handed over the mobile to Rana during his appearance in court. After Ghazi was summoned by police in Muzaffarnagar for questioning on Wed, he was arrested following the evidence "linking him directly with the phone found in jail".