New Delhi: Politician Shrikant Tyagi, who was on the run after an abusive video went viral, was arrested from Meerut by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday.
In the video, Tyagi was seen assaulting and abusing a woman, his neighbor, at the Grand Omaxe apartment complex in Noida’s Sector 93B.
He was booked by the Noida police last Friday after the clip was profusely shared on social media.
Before the arrest, the police recovered four luxury cars of Tyagi, the latest being a Toyota Fortuner – which had the official symbol of the Uttar Pradesh government.
On Monday, the Noida administration demolished illegal construction at Tyagi’s house, prompting neighbours to distribute sweets.
A resident said: “We are very happy this action was taken as we were fed up with Tyagi’s behaviour. He used to threaten us and behave very inappropriately.”
The demolition came a day after a group of Tyagi’s supporters entered the society and started shouting slogans.
BJP MP from Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mahesh Sharma, met residents of the society on Saturday and said Tyagi’s behavior could not be condoned.
“We’ve informed Awanish Awasthi (Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary) that the manner in which unidentified people entered the society was not at all right. Police protection should be given to the lady within two hours,” the MP said.
Sharma also said Tyagi was not associated with his party, though Tyagi has claimed membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kishan Morcha.
Several FIRs have been launched against Tyagi. Friday’s one had charges under IPC sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 447 (punishment for criminal trespass).
A separate FIR under IPC sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 482 (punishment for using a false property mark) was registered in light of the Fortuner recovered from the society premises Saturday, the police said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Ranvijay Singh said: “The Toyota Fortuner had the official symbol of the UP government on it… A separate FIR has been lodged for violation of rules and for misuse of government symbols.”
Noida District Magistrate Suhas LY on Friday said the administration would attach Tyagi’s property.
Also read: UP bulldozes illegal construction in Noida house of BJP man, absconding after assault charge