Muzaffarnagar, Apr 16 (PTI) Former MLA Shahnawaz Rana, his son Shah Azam Rana, and three others have been booked under the Gangsters Act by the police here, officials said on Wednesday.

Station House Officer (SHO) Ashutosh Kumar Singh told reporters that a case has been registered against five individuals — Shahnawaz Rana, his son Shah Azam Rana, Kamran Rana, Ziya Abbas Zaidi, and Tosif — under the Gangsters Act in connection with alleged GST evasion and other criminal activities.

According to police, the accused were involved in evading GST by operating fake companies. Additionally, Shahnawaz Rana, who is currently lodged in the district jail, is alleged to have used a mobile phone illegally from within the prison.

While Shahnawaz Rana is in custody, the remaining four accused are absconding, and police have launched a search operation to apprehend them, they added. PTI COR KIS DV DV