He was arrested for not cooperating during interrogation, a senior police officer said.
After a day-long interrogation, Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra, was arrested late on October 9 for not cooperating during interrogation of the Lakhimpur Kheri case, said a senior police officer.
DIG in charge of probe Upendra Agrawal said Mr Ashish Mishra was not cooperating during the interrogation and was not prepared to share some things he was asked. “For lack of cooperation and evasive solution, on these grounds we take him into custody and arrest him,” said Mr Agarwal.
Mr Ashish Mishra would be produced before the court, the official said, adding that police would interrogate the accused in custody. Mr Ashish Mishra is named as the accused in the murder case filed by farmers after cars belonging to his father’s convoy ran over demonstrating farmers in Tikonia on October 3.
Earlier in the day, he appeared for questioning before the police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, resulting in the death of eight people, in which he is being charged with murder. Mr Ashish Mishra, alias Monu went to the Crime Branch office after police issued him a second summons for failing to come up on October 8.
Until late on October 9, no official confirmation had been received from the police about further action on the questioning or whether Mr Ashish Mishra would be arrested amid calls from opposition parties as well as farmers for his arrest. Despite several requests from journalists waiting outside the Crime Branch office, police officers did not reveal any details of the interrogation or indicate how long it would take.
Police asked Mr Ashish Mishra to appear before them at 11 am
On October 8, Mr Ajay Kumar Mishra told reporters in Lucknow that Mr Ashish Mishra did not go to the police as he was ill and was lodged at their Shahpur Kothi residence.
Uttar Pradesh Police on October 7 arrested two persons and issued a summons to Mr Ashish Mishra for questioning in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.
Mr Ajay Kumar Mishra claimed that his son was not at the scene of the incident nor in any of the cars that broke down the farmers. Mr Ashish Mishra was in their Banveerpur ancestors’ village attending the annual family wrestling event, the Minister said.
“My son would also have been killed if he had been here,” he said, adding that hundreds of spectators present in Banveerpur on the day of the event were ready to submit their affidavits regarding Mr.’s presence. Ashish Mishra.
He said the allegations against his son were “false”. Mr Ajay Kumar Mishra said the probe in the case was done in an impartial manner because despite being a Minister an FIR had been lodged against his son.
Mr Ajay Kumar Mishra said “riotous elements” were hidden as farmers attacked BJP workers during the incident.