Uttar Pradesh: Absconding SP leader arrested in Etawah

KANPUR: Booked for flouting Covid-19 norms by taking out a huge procession in Etawah after his release from jail recently, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and newly elected zila panchayat member Dharmendra Yadav, on way to surrender before a court in Etawah, was arrested by police on Monday.
Police had on June 6 arrested 39 persons, besides confiscated 29 vehicles following registration of an FIR at the district’s Civil Lines police station against Yadav and 200 others on charges of taking out a celebratory procession on the Etawah-Auraiya highway allegedly with a huge number of vehicles in violation of the Covid-19 protocol on June 5.
The video of the procession was widely circulated on social media platforms.
Taking serious note of pandemic violations, seven policemen including two inspectors, each from Auraiya and Etawah, besides three SIs and three constables, were suspended, while a deputy SP rank official, was shunted, over dereliction of duty.
The police had also announced a reward of Rs 25,000 and were conducting raids to make Yadav’s arrest possible.
Senior superintendent of police Etawah Brijesh Kumar Singh on Monday confirmed to TOI the arrest of Yadav. “He was arrested from Gate No 3 while on way to surrender in the court,” he added.
The SSP said that there was a specific input about Yadav surrendering before the court following which a trap was laid and he was arrested jointly by the Civil Line Police and the Crime Branch on Monday.
“Yadav was released from the district jail of Etawah in the evening on June 4, and on June 5 he took out a celebratory procession with his supporters from outside the jail,” he said.
After the video of the procession went viral on social media, a case against Yadav and his 200 supporters was registered under sections 188, 269, 270 of the IPC along with 7 Criminal Law Act and Epidemic Act at the Civil Lines police station.
Subsequently, police teams were formed in search of Yadav. However, 39 people involved in Yadav’s procession were nabbed. Police also confiscated 29 vehicles, but Yadav continues to evade police arrest, said the official further.
“He has been taken to the Civil Lines police station where he is being questioned by the investigating team,” the official added.
Earlier, Yadav was externed by the Auraiya district administration in March 2021 for six months. Subsequently, he was arrested under the Gangsters’ Act from the Umarsana area and sent to jail. In the recently concluded Panchayat election, he was elected as a zila panchayat member from Bhagyanagar block -IV in Auraiya.