On Monday evening, Tripathi and six of his associates were arrested from Nazibabad area of UP’s Bijnor district. Police have also seized two SUVs in which they were travelling. (File Photo/Representational)
Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested independent legislator Aman Mani Tripathi for allegedly violating lockdown rules and for obtaining permission to travel to Badrinath in Uttarakhand on false grounds.
Tripathi, the MLA from Nautanwa in Maharajganj district, had sought permission for travelling to Badrinath and later to Kedarnath to attend the post-death rituals of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s father Anand Singh Bisht, who had died last month. The permission granted was valid from May 2 to May 7, with the condition that not more than three person will travel in any vehicle, and masks and sanitizers would be available in all three vehicles.
When Tripathi and his companions were stopped at the Vyasi check-post late Sunday night while they were returning to UP, “12 persons were found travelling in three cars. They had no masks and permission was also obtained on wrong grounds”, Uttarkhand Police said in a statement.
They were released after three hours after a notice under CrPC Section 41 was issued.
On Monday evening, Tripathi and six of his associates were arrested from Nazibabad area of UP’s Bijnor district. Police have also seized two SUVs in which they were travelling.
Nazibabad Circle Officer Praveen Kumar Singh said, “When police asked from them valid documents from them for travelling during lock down they failed to produce any.” The officer added that Tripathi and his associates would be produced before a local court of Bijnor Tuesday.
Tripathi was unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, the UP government in a statement said, “Neither CM nor the state government has authorized MLA Aman Mani Tripathi to go Uttarakhand. Tripathi himself is responsible for his act.”-inputs from ENS Lucknow