The Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh moved to bury at least 19 cases against senior political leaders from the state in the past five years, reported The Indian Express on Tuesday. Seven state Cabinet ministers, 10 SP legislators, Union minister Kalraj Mishra and BJP leader Ram Shankar Katheria appear on this list.

The cases against these leaders included fraud, kidnapping, extortion and rioting among others, the English daily said, citing official records. The UP government filed for withdrawal of cases in court “grounds of public interest and interest of justice”.

A case under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, had been filed against SP minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh and withdrawn in 2014. Six SP ministers and seven others (out of the 10 MLAs facing charges whose cases were buried) have been given tickets to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. The withdrawal petition for the case against SP MLA Vijay Mishra’s is still pending, while a case against party MLA Abhay Singh was also withdrawn.

A withdrawal application for Union minister Kalraj Mishra, who was booked in 2009 for holding a public meeting without permission, is still pending in the court. The UP government had also filed withdrawal petitions for BJP leader Katheria, who is facing five cases for protests at a power sub-station in Agra.

The accused have reportedly confirmed that the UP government had moved the court to withdraw cases.

Uttar Pradesh polls will be held in seven phases starting on February 11 and counting of votes will happen on March 11. The Congress and Samajwadi Party have entered a pre-poll alliance. The Congress will contest 105 seats while the SP will field its members from 298 constituencies in the 403-seat Assembly.