Gun-toting Ashish Pandey not the first in his family to fall foul of law

Pandey's family has varied business interests while his father, a former BSP MP, already faces three criminal cases

Ashish Pandey, who recently brandished a gun at a woman, trying to intimidate her and her friend at New Delhi's Hyatt Regency hotel, comes from a political family in Uttar Pradesh with huge business interests and several past criminal cases.

The son of a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member of Parliament Rakesh Pandey and brother of Ritesh Pandey, BSP member of the UP legislative Assembly from Jalalpur, Ashish is a realtor and has not entered the political arena yet.

According to media reports, he frequents Delhi for business or leisure, and on Sunday he was partying when the incident took place in the foyer of the hotel. It came to light when a video showing Pandey threatening a woman and her friend, and baffled hotel staff trying to intervene, went viral on social media.

Ashish Pandey has been booked under the Arms Act and several IPC sections, including 323 (causing hurt), 506 criminal intimidation) and 354 (using force with the intent to outrage the modesty of a woman).

However, his family is not new to facing criminal charges; it has had previous involvements in criminal cases, some of them serious. In the affidavit his father, Rakesh Pandey, filed with the Election Commission during Lok Sabha elections 2014, he disclosed that he has against his name three criminal cases where a court of law has taken cognizance of the matter. The former MP has been charged with several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), such as Section 506 (criminal intimidation), Section 364A (kidnapping for ranson), Section 302 (murder), Section 212 (harbouring offender), Section 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), Section 120B (criminal conspiracy), Section 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation) and Section 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace).

Rakesh Pandey had declared Rs 234.51 million worth of movable and Rs 32.89 million worth of immovable assets in his election affidavit in 2014.

On the business front, Rakesh Pandey is a shareholder in several companies, including Surya International Private Limited, Mark Industries Ltd, Ori Kassi Agrotake & Reg Pvt Ltd, Suryasons Realtors and Cherry Art Private Limited.

Mark Industries Ltd, a registered non-govt company involved in financial intermediation, was incorporated on September 22, 1992, and has a paid-up capital of Rs 50 million. Surya International has a paid-up capital of Rs 100 million and was incorporated on June 30, 1999. Suryasons Realtors was incorporated on August 29, 2014, and Cherry Art Private Limited was incorporated on March 09, 2007.

According to his 2009 affidavit, Rakesh Pandey has capital invested in at least 3 liquor businesses namely, Akbarpur Wines, Bikapur Wines and Sultanpur Wines

Along with his son Ashish and Ritesh, Rakesh Pandey is also a director/partner in Mark Industries Ltd, Surya International, Cherry Art and Suryasons Realtors.

Interestingly, the last annual general meetings (AGM) for all these companies were held on September 29, 2017.

Ashish is not a director of Cherry Art Private Limited but he is on his own a director and partner in two companies — Richmin Miners LLP and Surya Infraestate Private Limited. The affidavits and company information for this report have been sourced from Zaubacorp.com, Myneta.info, eci.nic.in.

For now, a Delhi police team is looking for Ashish Pandey who has not been seen since the case came to the fore. Police have also issued a showcause notice to the hotel over its negligence, according to media reports.

In the meantime, BSP has distanced itself from the controversy. "Ashish Pandey is not a BSP leader or member. There is a law-and-order machinery and action should be taken against anyone who breaks the law," news agency PTI quoted party leader Sudhindra Bhadoria as saying on Thursday.

Business Standard tried to get in touch with Rakesh Pandey over the phone but had not been able as of the time of publication of this report. An email sent to him did not elicit a response; it will be included as and when received.

Days after disappearance, Ashish Pandey today surrendered before Delhi's Patiala House Court, whereby he has been sent to one-day police remand.

The Delhi Police had sought 4 days custodial remand for Ashish Pandey after he was last seen outside Hyatt Regency on October 14.