Bihar: Union Minister's son facing arrest for inciting riots refuses to surrender; Nitish shielding him, says Tejashwi

PATNA: Former Bihar deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said the arrest warrant issued against Union Minister Ashwini Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat by the state government is a mere show-off. Tejashwi taking to his twitter handle said, Arijit Shashwat against whom an arrest warrant has been issued, has carried out another procession where he can be seen armed with a sword. "Arjit Chaube son of Union Min Ashwini Chaube is Wanted in a case. Nitish govt have issued arrest warrant on him for inciting riots in Bhagalpur but today he took out another procession on the occasion of Ram Navami armed with a sword accompanied by BJP MLAs," he said in a tweet.

Listen Mr. CM ????

Arjit Chaube son of Union Min Ashwini Chaube is Wanted in a case. Nitish govt hv issued arrest warrant on him for inciting riots in Bhagalpur but today he took out another procession on the occasion of Ram Navami armed with a sword accompanied by BJP MLAs. pic.twitter.com/ArflXLWwHf — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 25, 2018

"Nitish Kumar should answer how is he (Arijit Shashwat) roaming free if there is a warrant issued against him. He has lost the control of the govt. It's is being run from Nagpur. This shows how weak he has become: Tejashwi Yadav on Arijit Shashwat,"Tejashwi told ANI.

Oh..Sigh! Nitish Kumar is being handled from Nagpur. He is down & out. God bless! https://t.co/ElkybaQthe

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 26, 2018

Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey has termed the FIR registered against his som Arijit as a piece of wastepaper. "The FIR is nothing but a piece of wastepaper which was registered by corrupt officers of the area. My son made no mistake," he said while defending Arijit.

The FIR is nothing but a piece of wastepaper which was registered by corrupt officers of the area. My son made no mistake: Union Minister Ashwini Choubey on arrest warrant against son Arijit Sashwat over #Bhagalpur incidenthttps://t.co/MsLcpzkSd1 pic.twitter.com/51bSxfuLzF

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) March 26, 2018

A court in Bhagalpur has issued warrants against Union minister Choubey's son Arijit and eight others for allegedly inciting communal violence in Bhagalpur district last week. However, Arijit Shashwat refused to surrender. " Why should I surrender? The court has issued a warrant but the court also gives shelter. Once you go to the court, one will do what the court decides I have complete faith in the Indian judiciary. I am not an absconder, I am at my home," Shashwat said. Arijit has been named in the FIR for taking out a procession without prior permission from the administration in Bhagalpur on March 17. Arijit's father, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, is the Union minister of state for health and family welfare. The procession was taken out by the Bharatiya Nav Varsh Jagran Samiti on the eve of the Hindu new year. It had triggered communal tension in the Champa Nagar area under the Nathnagar police station in the district, in which some persons, including two policemen, were injured. The RJD and the Congress had disrupted the functioning of the Bihar Assembly last week, seeking the arrest of the culprits. (With inputs from agencies)