Union minister Ashwini Choubey's son Arijit Shashwat granted bail in Bihar communal violence case

Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey’s son was granted bail on Monday in the Bhagalpur communal clashes case,  ANI  reported.

Arijit Shashwat was arrested on 1 April over his alleged involvement in recent communal clashes in Bihar’s Bhagalpur.

Shashwat, accused of inciting violence in the district, surrendered after evading arrest for over a week. He was earlier sent to 14-day judicial custody after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the court.

Shashwat and eight others were named in one of the two FIRs lodged at Nathnagar police station of Bhagalpur following communal riots that broke out on 17 March after some people objected to playing of loud music during a procession led by him.

The violence was also the first in a series of minor communal riots witnessed in several districts of the state.

Communal passions were peaked in Aurangabad, Nalanda, Samastipur, Sheikhpura and Nawada districts following the Ram Navami festivities.

Shashwat allegedly took out a procession without prior permission, inciting communal sentiments and roamed with arms on the streets of Bhagalpur.

Several persons, including two police personnel, were injured in the clashes that witnessed heavy stone-pelting, arson and exchange of fire.

The alleged delay in Shashwat’s arrest invited strong criticism from Opposition parties in Bihar, especially the RJD-Congress combine, which accused the Nitish Kumar government of soft-peddling the matter while Choubey dubbed the FIR against his son as a “piece of garbage”.

The police have arrested over half-a-dozen BJP leaders in Bhagalpur in connection with communal violence there on 16 March.

With inputs from agencies