UP: MLA Aman Mani Tripathi, six associates held in Bijnor for lockdown violation

LUCKNOW: Aman Mani Tripathi, an independent MLA from Nautanwa (Maharajganj district) along with his six aides were arrested in Nazibabad area of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh for lockdown violation on Monday evening.
The MLA along with his 11 aides had gone to visit Badrinath and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand and was booked on Saturday by its state police.
On their return to Uttar Pradesh on Monday, seven including Aman Mani were arrested after they failed to show up a permit of travel.The others included two natives of Uttarakhand who had stayed back and two police gunners of MLA - Ajay Yadav and Prakash.
Uttar Pradesh additional director general of police, law and order, PV Ramasastry told TOI that Aman Mani Tripathi also with his six aides have been arrested in Bijnor district.
“A fresh FIR was lodged against Tripathi and his six aides after they failed to produce documents of permission for crossing to another state,” said the ADG.
ADG also said that two police gunners have not been booked and their role is being ascertained in the act.
Those arrested by the Bijnor police include - Aman Mani Tripathi, Maya Shanker Singh, Manish Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Ritesh Yadav, Umesh Chaube, and Om Prakash Yadav.
All the seven have been booked under the charges of lockdown violation, orders in view of pandemic, negligently and likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life, malignant act likely to spread infection of disease and disobedience to quarantine rule and the Disaster Management Act and epidemic act.
Earlier, on Sunday night Uttarakhand police has also booked Aman Mani Tripathi and his 11 aides.
Uttarakhand, Additional director general of police, law and order, Ashok Kumar told TOI that Tripathi and his 11 supporters were stopped by Muni ki Reti police, in Tehri Garhwal district.
“They were found to be flouting all lockdown norms. They had got permission for moving three in one vehicle but four were found to be in three SUVs. All of the 12 persons were also without masks,” said the ADG.
Those who were booked include - Maya Shanker Singh, Manish Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Ritesh Yadav, Umesh Chaube, Om Prakash Yadav, Vinay Shikharwal, all of Gorakhpur. While Jai Prakash Tiwari, Sudhakar Mishra of Dehradun alongwith two gunners - Ajay Yadav and Prakash belong to Ballia district in UP. Later, they were given bail by the Uttarakhand police.