Absconding politician Shrikant Tyagi was arrested Tuesday from Meerut, officials said, days after he was seen in a social media video abusing and assaulting a woman for objecting to his alleged illegal constructions at a housing society here.
Tyagi was at large since Friday evening, and the Noida Police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 on his arrest. Additional Director General of Uttar Pradesh Police (law and order) Prashant Kumar said in Lucknow Tyagi has been arrested.
On the controversy surrounding security given to Tyagi by the Uttar Pradesh police, Kumar said he had no such protection after February 2020. A senior Noida police officer told PTI, "Tyagi's three associates were also held along with him."
Before the arrests, Tyagi's wife was once again detained for questioning Tuesday morning in the case lodged at the Phase 2 police station here, according to officials. Tyagi, who was at large since Friday evening, had Monday moved a court in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district with a plea for surrender-related procedures. The hearing in the matter has been listed for August 10.
He moved the court plea soon after the Noida police declared him "absconding" and announced the reward on his arrest. Until he went underground Friday night, Tyagi claimed to be the national executive member of the BJP's Kisan Morcha and the national co-coordinator of its Yuva Samiti, even as the ruling party denied any links with him.
The Opposition has also mounted an attack on the BJP over the issue, sharing purported pictures of Tyagi with senior saffron party leaders, including its national president J P Nadda. Meanwhile, police personnel remained deployed at the Grand Omaxe society in Sector 93B where Tyagi had allegedly abused and assaulted the woman.
"We have got to know through media that Shrikant Tyagi has been arrested. His arrest was our main demand since the incident," a member of the society residents. association told PTI. Tyagi had allegedly hurled expletives and assaulted the woman co-resident of Grand Omaxe who had objected to him planting trees in the common area of the society in Noida Sector 93B last Friday. Tyagi had claimed he was well within his rights to do so.
As videos of the episode went viral on social media and drew condemnation, an FIR was lodged and Tyagi booked under Indian Penal Code section 354 (assault or use of criminal force on any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty). Later, charges under IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of public peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 447 (criminal trespass) were also added in the case, officials said.
During the probe, the police also impounded two vehicles of Tyagi which were found in violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. One of his SUVs, the officials said, had a symbol of the Uttar Pradesh government on it but it was unauthorised. Subsequently, another FIR was lodged under IPC sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating) and 482 (using false property mark), the officials added.
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