Non-bailable warrant issued against Amar Mani Tripathi in 2001 kidnapping case

Basti (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 18 (IANS) There is more trouble brewing for former Minister Amar Mani Tripathi who was recently released from jail after serving a major part of his life sentence for the murder of a poetess Madhumita Shukla.

The chief judicial magistrate, MP/MLA court Basti, Pramod Giri on Tuesday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Tripathi in a 22-year-old kidnapping case and directed the Basti Superintendent of Police (SP) to produce him before the court on November 1.

The NBW was issued after going through the formal report submitted by Gorakhpur district jail superintendent R.K. Kushwaha regarding the release of former UP Minister Amar Mani Tripathi.

The court also directed the police officials to form a police team for arresting Tripathi besides declaring the two other accused in the case -- Naini Sharma and Shivam -- absconding.

In 2001, a Class 6 student Rahul Gupta, the son of a businessman Dharmaraj Gupta, was kidnapped while he was on his way to a school in Basti district.

The Basti police found the boy at the Lucknow residence of Amar Mani Tripathi, who was an MLA from Nautanwa seat in Maharajganj district then.

His name came up as an accused in the case that was lodged by the police. As per ASP Basti Dipendra Nath Chaudhari, the police were yet to receive the copy of the order and that the court’s order will be complied with.

On August 24 this year, the state government had ordered the release of Tripathi and his wife Madhumani, who were serving life term in the murder case of poet Madhumani Shukla in Lucknow in 2003.

The couple were released from the Gorakhpur jail a day after. However, the couple have been undergoing treatment at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur since then.

The MP/MLA court, Basti, also expressed displeasure over the lackadaisical attitude of police in taking action against the former minister in the 2001 kidnapping case.

Despite repeated notices, Tripathi has avoided appearing before the court on the pretext of undergoing treatment at the BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur.

The medical examination board constituted by chief medical officer, Gorakhpur, Dr Ashutosh Dubey following the directive of the court had submitted its report to the court on September 16. However, the court was not duly informed that ailing Tripathi had been released from jail. Thus, on September 16, the MP/MLA court directed the Gorakhpur jail officials to produce him before the court for hearing on October 16.

Health officials in their report said the former minister was suffering from depression and spondylitis along with multi organ problems. However, CJM, MP/MLA court, Basti, Pramod Giri had then observed that an accused could not be exempted from appearing before the court on grounds of depression.