Anand Sen sent to 14-day judicial remand

Lucknow, Jun 15: Anand Sen, the former Uttar Pradesh minister and ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA, who yesterday surrendered at the Ghazipur police station in the state capital over infamous Shashi murder case, was today sent to 14-day judicial remand.

Amid tight security, Anand Sen was produced before the Additional District Magistrate Dinanath, who remanded him to 14-day judicial custody.

On October 22 last, Sashi, a third year student of law in a Faizabad college disappeared and the FIR lodged by her father Yogendra Kumar, who happens to be associated with BSP founder late Kanshi Ram, accused Anand Sen as the person behind abduction of his daughter.

Sen, who was then a minister of food processing in the Mayawati ministry, was sacked immediately by the Chief Minister and later the government handed over the case to the CBI.

However, the CBI rejected the recommendation of the UP government to take over the case as the investigation in to the matter was in the final stage and the state police was on the verge of filing the chargesheet in the case.

The police is yet to trace the body of Sashi even after several efforts in river Gomti at Sultanpur. The police also performed narco and polygraphic test on Vijay Sen, the driver of the sacked minister, to get the true picture.

On Sunday last, Police had arrested Seema Azad, with whom Sashi was last seen before her disappearance. Shashi's pregnancy was also reported during the investigation.

Earlier, investigating officer Sharad Chandra Pandey had applied for a non-bailable warrant (NBW) for Anand Sen on the basis of the statements of Seema Azad and Vijay Sen, supported by circumstantial evidence.

However, Anand was on the run after a local court of Faizabad issued a NBW against him.

The state police conducted raids at several places in Faizabad and Lucknow after receiving the NBW against the MLA. Due to immense pressure so created the MLA surrendered yesterday.

Anand is the second ruling party MLA, who has police after him in a criminal case.

Only few days ago, another MLA and sacked UP minister Jamuna Nishad was arrested in connection with the killing of a police constable in Maharajganj kotwali premises.

UNI