Sacked Uttar Pradesh minister Amar Mani Tripathi was produced in Lucknow court on Thursday. Tripathi was arrested on charges of kidnapping of a boy and harboring criminals. Since the crime and the investigation into it are in Basti, the court has Tripathi to travel there as all further investigations will be held there.
Tripathi was arrested late Wednesday night by the Special Task Force (STF) of the state police while he was proceeding towards his residence in Lucknow, STF spokesman said on Thursday.


The minister`s driver was also arrested but his shadow managed to escape. A Cielo car and two mobile phone were recovered from his possession.

"Tripathi has been charged with kidnapping the son of a basti-based trader and providing shelter to the kidnappers," he said.

Anticipating his arrest, Tripathi had moved the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday last for anticipatory bail. His petition in this regard is to come up for hearing on Thursday.
Tripathi was sacked from the Rajnath Singh government last week after five kidnappers were arrested from a house in his possession.

The arrested kidnappers revealed during interrogation that Tripathi had arranged for their stay after they had kidnapped the boy.
Bureau Report