In a shocking incident, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha on Saturday felicitated the accused of Ramgarh mob lynching in Jharkhand which have landed him in a major controversy.

Not only the minister met the eight convicts at his residence, he also felicitated them with garlands.

It may be mentioned here that the Jharkhand High Court granted bail to the eight men, who were convicted by a lower court of lynching a man named Alimuddin Ansari, on suspicion of transporting beef, on June 29 last year at Ramgarh.

At a time when the BJP-led government at the centre has been claiming of taking stern steps against mob lynching, this incident has raised concerns among the citizens.

The opposition as well the public have condemned this act of Sinha.

However, the minister has reiterated by saying that the law will take its own course and the accused will be punished.

"When these people got bail, they came to my house; I wished them well. Let the law take its own course in the future, the accused will be punished and those innocent will be set free" Sinha told ANI.

It may be mentioned here that former Union Minister and Jayant's father Yashwant Sinha has also disapproved of the act.