'Pistol' Pandey's licences for three guns suspended

LUCKNOW/FAIZABAD: UP government on Wednesday suspended three gun licences issued to former BSP MP Rakesh Pandey's son Ashish whose video showing him pointing a pistol at a couple outside Hyatt Regency hotel in Delhi has created a national outrage.
Ashish, who is still absconding four days after the incident, owns three firearms. The raids on his possible hideouts continued through the day in parts of UP.This, even as his brother and BSP's Jalalpur MLA Ritesh Pandey released an official note saying he was not defending his brother's action but would request media to dissociate his family from the incident.

"We are not defending whatever Ashish did. But there was no complaint against him before. It is unfair that family members unrelated to this incident are being targeted. We will support the agencies in their probe and we trust the law of this country," said Ritesh. Earlier, an application was sent to Ambedkarnagar administration to cancel the arms licenses of Ashish.
The home department confirmed that the request was initiated suo motu but the action by the district administration would be taken following due legal process that includes official request from Delhi Police as well as copy of FIR stating Ashish's crime. He has been slapped with charges under the Arms Act and outraging the modesty of a girl.
Ambedkarnagar SP Vipin Mishra told TOI that Lucknow SSP and he had received a request from Delhi Police for cancellation of gun licences of Ashish Pandey.
"On the report of the police, the arms licences of Ashish Pandey have been suspended and notice has been issued in his name and delivered at his address in Akbarpur Kotwali police station," Ambedkarnagar DM Suresh Kumar told TOI.
Meanwhile, a day after lodging an FIR under Arms Act against Ashish, a team of Delhi police along with a unit of Lucknow Police continued to search homes of his friends and his acquaintances along with his four establishments in the Lucknow. A team is also in Ambedkarnagar to know his whereabouts.
His four establishments in the state capital - at Gomtinagar, Aashiana, Indiranagar and Vibhuti Khand were searched by the police teams on Wednesday. "The teams of STF are working to nab Ashish and then hand him over to the Delhi police," added ADG (Law & Order) Anand Kumar.