Dehradun: Uttar Pradesh MLA Amanmani Tripathi and 12 of his associates were arrested in Rishikesh for allegedly violating lockdown restrictions and let off subsequently on bail, officials said on Monday.
The action was taken late on Sunday night when the MLA and his friends were returning after being stopped by authorities in Chamoli district from proceeding to Badrinath.
A convoy of three cars carrying the MLA and his associates was first intercepted by policemen at a barrier in Gauchar on way to Badrinath but the Nautanwa MLA produced a letter of permission purportedly issued by authorities in Dehradun and moved on.
However, they were stopped again at a barrier in Karnaprayag by police and administrative officials, who told them that the portals of Badrinath were scheduled to open on May 15 and there was no point in letting them go further, SDM, Karnaprayag, Vaibhav Gupta said.
The MLA got angry and argued with officials but they did not relent and forced the convoy to return, the officials said.
They were intercepted again at Vyasi police outpost in Rishikesh as there were more than three persons in each car and all without masks in violation of lockdown curbs, Muni ki Reti police station in-charge RK Saklani said.
A case was registered against them under different sections of the IPC, Epidemic Act and the Disaster Management Act and they were arrested, he said.
However, they were let off subsequently on personal bail bonds and allowed to leave for Uttar Pradesh.