Cops take custody of Ballia shootout main accused

The police, on Thursday, took custody of Ballia shootout main accused, Dhirendra Pratap Singh, who was arrested for allegedly shooting dead a man in Durjanpur village of Ballia district during the allotment of a ration shop on October 15.

Dhirendra was said to be a close aide of BJP MLA Surendra Singh, who represents Bairia constituency in Ballia.

He was arrested from Lucknow on Sunday and produced before the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Ballia, on Monday. The court sent Dhirendra to 14-day judicial custody.

On Tuesday, police filed an application in the court, seeking police custody remand (PCR) of Dhirendra for a week. The court on Wednesday approved the PCR of the main accused for two days. The court allowed the accused to be accompanied by an advocate, who could watch the proceedings remotely without any interference in the police

action. Singh’s PCR began from 10am on Thursday.

After taking custody of the main accused, police had his medical check-up done. Soon after, he was brought to Revati police station, where he was interrogated for about an hour, said a police officer.

After interrogation, the cops took Dhirendra Singh to his house in Durjanpur, the officer

said. The police officer said the interrogation was focused on points, including whom the accused met soon after the incident, who gave shelter to him for two days when he was on the run and the people whom he spoke to on mobile after the incident, and who hatched the conspiracy. The officer said that prime focus was on recovering the weapon used in the incident.