Former SP MLA Irfan Solanki, aides booked on charges of assault and intimidation

Kanpur: Former Samajwadi Party MLA from Sisamau, Irfan Solanki, and his associates were booked on Wednesday on charges of assault and intimidation after a clash at a goat market at Halim College ground in the Chamanganj area of the city.Police said two FIRs were registered following the clash between two groups from the same community late Tuesday.Irfan allegedly arrived with his supporters at the goat market and assaulted Wafa Abbas, an office-bearer of the market committee. The FIR against Solanki and his associates was lodged under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional insult).Irfan denied the allegations and claimed that he and his wife, Nasim -- the sitting SP MLA from Sisamau -- had gone to the market to look into complaints of extortion from customers and goat traders when some people assaulted the security personnel escorting her.A counter-FIR was also filed on a complaint by Azim Ahmad, a gunner attached to Nasim. Ahmad alleged that he was assaulted by Abbas, Fahad, Imran and several unidentified men inside the market while carrying out security duties. He claimed his uniform was torn and also some people tried to snatch his carbine and shut the market gate during the clash.Police commissioner Raghubir Lal said, “Gunner Azim Ahmad has been suspended for negligence after he allegedly left his assigned security position and entered the crowd.”Lal stated that Ahmad had been deployed for the MLA’s security. If the constable perceived a threat to the MLA’s security, he should have stayed with her and not gone into the goat market premises.He said CCTV was being examined, but so far Irfan has not appeared in any footage.DCP (central) Atul Srivastava stated, ”FIRs were registered from both sides. A detailed investigation is underway.”Irfan is currently out on bail in an arson case in Defence Colony, Kanpur. He spent 34 months in jail and was released from Maharajganj jail on Sept 30 2025.