Absconding SP MLA Irfan Solanki surrenders, arrested in rioting case

Kanpur: Absconding Samajwadi Party MLA Irfan Solanki and his younger brother on Friday surrendered before the police in a case of rioting and arson, officials said.

Police have been looking for Irfan and his younger brother Rizwan Solanki since they were booked for rioting and arson at the house of one Nazir Fatima on November 8 in a land dispute case.

Irfan and his younger brother Rizwan were accompanied by SP MLAs from Arya Nagar and Kanpur Cantt --- Amitabh Bajpai and Mohammad Hasan alias Roomi, respectively and their family members, the official said.

Irfan Solanki arrested

Commissioner of Police BP Jogdand told PTI that Irfan and his brother Rizwan surrendered before him at his camp office on Friday and they were subsequently arrested by the police.

Irfan, the SP MLA from Sisamau (in Kanpur) and his brother would be produced before a court on Friday, Jogdand added.

"We will seek their police custody if it is needed," Jogdand added.

"We obtained the non-bailable warrants against them about a fortnight back," DCP crime, Salmantaj Jafertaj Patil told reporters.

Irfan is a four-time MLA, who first got elected in 2007 from Arya Nagar. He also won Sisamau Assembly Constituency in the 2012, 2017 and 2022 general elections.

His father Mushtaq Solanki was also a two-time MLA from the Arya Nagar Assembly constituency in Kanpur.

Jajmau Police booked Irfan, his younger brother and about four dozen more people for rioting and arson.

However, Irfan released a video message refuting the allegations and requesting Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana to form a committee of MLAs to probe the charges against him properly and ensure justice.

The surrender and subsequent arrest of the SP MLA and his brother came after more than a fortnight of them playing hide and seek.

Just a day after being booked, the Solanki brothers had gone underground to evade arrest.

Another FIR was registered against Irfan Solanki on Tuesday for boarding a flight on a fake Aadhaar card and compromising airport security, said Joint Commissioner of police (law and order) Anand Prakash Tiwari.

Police arrested four persons including a senior woman SP leader Noori Shauqat and three others - Ammar Ilahi alias Ali, Anwar Mansoori and Akhtar Mansoori - who allegedly helped Solanki obtain the fake Aadhaar card.

The MLA allegedly flew from Delhi to Mumbai using the fake identity card to evade arrest. The Aadhaar card carried his photograph but had his name mentioned as Ashraf Ali, the JCP said.