Lucknow: Hours after going to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) at the Lakhimpur Criminal Branch Office today, Ankit Das was arrested by the monitoring committee in connection with the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.
According to the latest updates, Ankit Das was brought before the magistrate where he was sent into judicial detention until October 22.
Speaking to ANI news agency, prosecution lawyer SP Yadav said Ankit Das was taken into custody for 3 days from October 14 to 17 and in custody until October 22.
Police summoned Das for questioning in connection with the October 3 violence that left eight people dead, including four farmers.
Ankit Das is the nephew of a former congressman, the late Akhilesh Das, and is said to be a close friend of the main defendant, Ashish Mishra. Ankit Das is said to be present in the car behind the SUV that hit four farmers.
Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the case and Ankit is the fifth accused arrested in the case.
At around 11 a.m., Das and a team of lawyers arrived at the reserved police lines in Lakhimpur and reached the criminal police office there, police said.
The Fortuner of the convoy belonged to Ankit Das. He previously said he was not present at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, Congress once again reiterated its demand to dismiss Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni for a free and fair investigation into Lakhimpur Kheri’s violence.
A congressional delegation, led by its former president Rahul Gandhi, and comprising leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Ghulam Nabi Azad, A.K. Antony, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with President Ram Nath Kovind this morning to present the request to him.
According to reports, the delegation discussed in detail with the president the death of the farmers in the violence, the investigation of the incident, and lobbied for the removal of Teni.
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