Bihar communal violence: Union Minister's son denied bail

A Bihar court on Saturday rejected the bail plea of Union Minister Ashwini Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat, accused of inciting communal violence in the state's Bhagalpur district, a government lawyer said.

After hearing both sides, the Bhagalpur district court declined to grant bail to Shashwat.

Last week, a case was lodged against Shashwat -- a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader -- on charges of taking out a procession without prior permission, inciting communal sentiments and roaming with arms on the streets of Bhagalpur.

Shashwat, who has been evading arrest, had moved the bail plea in the civil court, following which the court on Tuesday sought the case diary from the police to ascertain his role in the communal flare-up on March 17.

Afther that, acting on an application from the district police, the court issued an arrest warrant against Shashwat.

Choubey has already described FIR as "a piece of garbage" that was registered by "corrupt police officers in Bhagalpur".

Shashwat unsuccessfully contested the last assembly polls as the BJP candidate from Bhagalpur, considered a stronghold of Choubey, who was elected MP from Buxar in 2014.

--IANS

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