Absconding former MLA arrested

Dilip Verma, who had been a Samajwadi Party MLA from Bahraich's Mahsi constituency thrice, was arrested last evening and would be produced in the court today, SP V K Dixit said.

In 1995, Verma along with his aide Kuldeep Verma assaulted Shiv Sahai at Digiha crossing in Dargarh area after which a case was lodged, he said.

In May 2010, the Bahraich SC/ST court of Special Judge Anand Kumar Upadhyay sentenced both to five-year rigorous imprisonment.

They then moved applications in the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court, which was rejected after which the sessions court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against them in April this year.

Dilip and Kuldeep were named the Congress candidates from Nanpara and Ikauna seats respectively in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, but their tickets were canceled as they failed to get relief from the High Court.