Union Minister's son sent to judicial custody in Bihar

Patna: A Bihar court on Sunday sent Union Minister Ashwini Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat, accused of inciting communal violence in Bhagalpur, to judicial custody for 14 days.

Bhagalpur Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar said that Shashwat, who had been evading arrest for over a week, surrendered and was produced in a court.

"Police have strong evidence against Arijit Shashwat and an FIR was lodged against him," he said.

Earlier, Shashwat surrendered at around 12.30 a.m. outside the Mahavir temple near the Patna railway station, shouting slogans like "Jai Shri Ram" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai", district police official Rakesh Dubey said.

Last week, a case was lodged against Shashwat, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, on charges of taking out a procession without prior permission, inciting communal sentiments and roaming with arms on the streets of Bhagalpur.

He moved a bail plea in a civil court, following which the court on March 27 sought the case diary from the police to ascertain his role in the communal flare-up on March 17.

The court then issued an arrest warrant against Shashwat.

Minister Choubey has dubbed the FIR "a piece of garbage" registered by "corrupt police officers".

Shashwat contested the last Assembly polls on BJP ticket from Bhagalpur and lost.