Bijnore, Apr 2: BKU leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, accused of making casteist remarks against UP Chief Minister Mayawati, was today granted bail after he surrendered in the district court here.

Tikait, who reached here from Muzaffarnagar, was granted bail by Additional District Judge Shambhu Sharan Mishra after he furnished two sureties of Rs 20,000 each.

Earlier, Tikait, who is facing charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Indian Penal Code, surrendered before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Brajendra Kumar Tyagi.

Tyagi, however, forwarded the case to District Judge Subhash Chander Aggarwal on the ground that it was beyond his powers to hear it.

Aggarwal then referred the matter to Additional District Judge Shambhu Sharan Mishra, who reserved his order on the bail application after hearing it.

BKU leader fears threat to his life

Meanwhile the BKU leader MS Tikait who was on Wednesday evening granted bail by the Bijnore court shortly after his arrest indicating a secret deal between the Jat leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has alleged that his life is in danger and that he may any day be killed by the police.

The farmers' leader, who is under scanner, for his controversial casteist remarks against BSP supremo, was released after furnishing two bonds of Rs 20,000 each.

The move came soon after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati claimed in a press conference that the Jat leader had not surrendered, instead the top police officials, who were assigned to do the task, actually arrested him.