Shrikant Tyagi, who was booked by police last Friday after he was caught on video pushing and abusing a woman at the Grand Omaxe residential society in Noida, was arrested from Meerut on Tuesday.
Noida Police Commissioner Alok Singh said Tyagi claimed that he had got the “vidhayak” (MLA) sticker on one of his vehicles “through (former MLA) Swami Prasad Maurya”.
Maurya, a former BJP MLA, joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of the Assembly elections earlier this year. He lost the elections, and is currently a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). Speaking to reporters in Kushinagar on Tuesday, Maurya denied having given the “vidhayak” sticker, and said he had not met Tyagi for the last four years.
Addressing a press conference, Singh said: “The vehicles seized from the accused run in 001 UP 32 series. He bid for each number plate, and each cost around Rs 1,10,000. On one vehicle, there is a vidhayak sticker. On questioning, he said he was provided the sticker through Swami Prasad Maurya. Tyagi’s driver also painted a UP government symbol on his car on his instructions. We will be taking action against the accused under the Gangster Act. So far, five cars have been recovered – two Fortuners, two Safaris and a Honda Civic – some in his name and some in his wife’s name.”
The sticker and VIP number plates, according to a Noida Police press release, were aimed at creating fear among the public. Police said Tyagi would also use his uncle’s licensed pistol to instil fear.
