Bhagalpur clash: Arijit Shashwat sent to judicial custody

Bhagalpur (Bihar): Union Minister Ashwini Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat who surrendered yesterday in connection with the Bhagalpur violence case, on Sunday has been sent to 14-days judicial custody.

Arijit surrendered hours after a Bhagalpur court rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Shashwat against whom an arrest warrant was issued on March 24.

"The FIR filed against me is totally fake. I am going to surrender before the police (in Bhagalpur violence case), but it is not under any kind of pressure. I was told that my anticipatory bail was rejected. Therefore, in respect of the court, I am surrendering. However, we will approach higher courts. My innocence will be proved," Shashwat told ANI.

Meanwhile, Arijit Shashwat's father Ashwini Choubey claimed that false FIR has been registered against his son and demanded an impartial investigation by the agencies.

"False FIR has been registered against Arijit Shashwat by opposition parties. When his anticipatory bail got denied then he respected the court's decision and surrendered himself. We demand an impartial investigation," Ashwini Choubey said.

However, Police on the wee hours of Sunday claimed that Shashwat was arrested.

"We got information of his whereabouts and began our surveillance. Bhagalpur police were also here with an arrest warrant for Arijit (Shashwat). We arrested him near a police station here outside Hanuman Mandir. As per routine procedures, we will now begin interrogating him," Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) Rakesh Dubey told reporters.

The violence broke out during a procession led by Shashwat in Nathnagar to mark the Hindu New Year.

However, Choubey and other local BJP leaders later claimed that the district administration had allowed the rally and also denied that provocative slogans were shouted.