The MLA’s wife Mridula Anand, who is the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) in Gonda, is also an accused in the case and is on the run, police said. (Representational)Barabanki police Thursday night arrested former BSP MLA Vijay Kumar (45) in connection with the death of National Informatics Centre (NIC) engineer Shikhar Srivastava, whose body was found in January, 2015. Vijay Kumar had won 2012 assembly election from Bansgaon in Gorakhpur.
The MLA’s wife Mridula Anand, who is the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) in Gonda, is also an accused in the case and is on the run, police said. In 2015, Barabanki police had obtained non-bailabale warrants against the former MLA and his wife, but they were not arrested.
“We have arrested Vijay Kumar from Badosarai area on various charges. There are evidences that Kumar was involved in the murder,” said Superintendent of Police, Barabanki, Dr Satish Kumar. On Friday, Vijay was produced before a local court in Barabanki which sent him to jail, Satish added.
“Shikhar’s family had moved the Allahabad High Court around three years back seeking its intervention. On Tuesday, the court directed the police to arrest the accused. Police teams are conducting raids to arrest the MLA’s wife,” said Satish.
According to police, Shikhar, a native of Bahraich, had allegedly given Rs 3.5 lakh to Mridula after she promised him a better job in the Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Department, where she is also employed. Shikhar came in contact with Mridula when she was posted in Bahraich as a Basic Shiksha Adhikari. Police found that when Mridula failed to arrange the job for him, Shikhar wanted his money back. He came to Lucknow on January 20 and subsequently went missing while on his way to Mridula’s house in Lucknow.
The next day, his body bearing marks of sharp-edged weapons, was found at a secluded place at Badosarai in Barabanki. The deceased’s father, Dinesh Chandra Srivastava, filed a complaint against the MLA and his wife in Barabanki.
In 2015, Barabanki police arrested three persons, including the police gunner of Vijay. They are identified as Rajendra Kumar, Ram Singh and the gunner, Toofani Ram. Police had booked them under 216 of the IPC (Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered). All three are presently out on bail, said a police officer.
