MLA Akhilesh Tripathi held in rioting case

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Akhilesh Tripathi was on Thursday arrested in a 2013 case of rioting and criminal intimidation and sent to judicial custody for two days by a Delhi court, the fifth lawmaker of the ruling party to be arrested.

In pursuance of non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against Tripathi by the court earlier for his non-appearance, he was brought by the police to the court, which sent him to jail till November 28.

Metropolitan Magistrate Kapil Kumar ordered that the MLA be taken into custody, while noting his conduct of not complying with the court’s order directing him to appear.

The court had earlier issued NBW against the Model Town MLA for his non-appearance before it in the case.

In 2013, an FIR was registered against Tripathi, Rahul Kumar, Vikas Mandal, Inder Vikram Singh and Kanhaiya Kumar Jha for alleged offences under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 323 (causing simple hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (north west) Vijay Singh said the MLA “has been arrested and taken into custody in pursuance to court order”. 

Tripathi is the fifth lawmaker of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party to be arrested.