Lakhimpur Case: Ashish Misra's Friend Ankit Das in Judicial Custody Till 22 Oct

Meanwhile, Shekhar Bharti, staff of Ankit Das, has been remanded to three-day police custody.

Ankit Das, who is believed to be a friend of Ashish Misra, an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, was on Wednesday, 13 October, arrested by the monitoring committee probing the case.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Ankit Das, who is believed to be a friend of Ashish Misra, an accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri case, was on Wednesday, 13 October, sent to judicial custody till 22 October. Das was arrested by the monitoring committee probing the case on Tuesday and was presented before a magistrate, as per ANI.

Shekhar Bharti, staff of Ankit Das, has been remanded to three-day police custody.

Meanwhile, Latif alias Kale, who appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), were taken in custody after questioning and produced in court which sent them in judicial remand for 14 days, reported PTI, citing official sources.

Das appeared before the special investigation team (SIT) at the crime branch office in Lakhimpur, on Wednesday, reported PTI, citing the police.

Das had reportedly been summoned by investigators for questioning in connection with the developments in Lakhimpur on 3 October. Eight people, including four farmers, had died in the unrest that took place that day after an SUV mowed down protesting farmers.

Das reportedly arrived at the crime branch office at 11 am on Wednesday. He was accompanied by a team of lawyers.

Background

The advocate of Ankit Das, whose vehicle is believed to have been behind the SUV that mowed the farmers down, had, on on Tuesday, filed a surrender application in the Chief Judicial Magistrate court.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, the Lakhimpur Kheri police had arrested Shekhar Bharti, the driver of Ankit Das' car.

On Monday, the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, had conducted raids to trace Ankit Das for questioning in the case, reported The Indian Express. Ankit Das is a relative of former Congress MP, the late Akhilesh Das.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)