No law to back UP govt's action of putting up hoardings naming anti-CAA protesters: Supreme Court

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Uttar Pradesh government challenging the Allahabad High Court order that had asked for an immediate removal of the hoardings which have been put up in Lucknow.

The case has, however, been transferred to a larger bench of the Supreme Court.

The hoardings, which were put up on last Thursday, include pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, retired IPS SR Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, all of whom were named as accused in the violence that swept the state capital on Dec 19 last year.

Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash said here on Friday that the hoardings with photos of people, who have been identified by the district administration for indulging in violent activities during the protest, have been put up across the city.

The Lucknow administration has assessed the damage to be worth Rs 1.55 crore. As per information, 10 people from Thakurganj area and six from Qaiserbagh area have been served recovery notices of over Rs 69 lakh till now.

Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas and son of Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, Sibtain Noori, are also among the 16 who have been served notices.

The process of serving notices came soon after the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister warned those who were involved in violence during demonstrations of "revenge" for the losses including damage of police motorcycles, barrier and sticks.

Large-scale violence was reported from Uttar Pradesh over the CAA, which detractors have termed as 'divisive' and 'anti-Muslim'.

(Image Credit: IBNS File)