Former BJP leader Dayashankar Singh arrested

The remarks by Singh, former UP vice-president of BJP, had stoked a major controversy with the party expelling him from the party

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dayashankar Singh, whose abusive remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati caused an outcry, was arrested from Bihar on Friday, after being on the run for days, police said.

Additional Superintendent of Police Keshav Yadav told IANS on telephone from Buxar that a joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) and Bihar Police nabbed him from Chini Mill area in Buxar. Buxar is about 100 km from Patna on the border of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

"He will be taken to Uttar Pradesh," Yadav said, adding it was being investigated when he reached Bihar and with who he was staying.

A non-bailable warrant had been issued against Dayashankar Singh, a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh who on July 19 made the remarks against Mayawati at Mau in the state. A case was registered the next day.

The arrest comes a day after Singh failed to get a stay from Allahabad High Court which directed the UP government to file its reply by August 5 on his plea challenging the lodging of the FIR against him.

The remarks by Singh, former UP Vice President of BJP, had stoked a major controversy with BJP expelling him from the party.