Union minister’s son booked under Arms Act day after ‘friend’ shot dead at home

The revolver allegedly used in the crime was a licensed weapon owned by Vikas, who was booked for violating provisions of the firearms licence, said Lucknow deputy commissioner of police (DCP-West) Rahul Raj.

Union minister Kaushal Kishore’s son Vikas Kishore has been booked under section 30 of the Arms Act (punishment for contravention of licence or rule) a day after a 26-year-old man was shot dead under mysterious circumstances at a house owned by the former, police said on Saturday.

Vinay Srivastava, who was allegedly shot dead over a gambling brawl at Vikas Kishore’s house in Lucknow’s Thakurganj area in the wee hours of Friday. (Sourced)

The revolver allegedly used in the crime was a licensed weapon owned by Vikas, who was booked for violating provisions of the firearms licence, said Lucknow deputy commissioner of police (DCP-West) Rahul Raj. He added the police had already recommended that the issuing authority revoke the firearms licence given to Kishore.

Vikas was said to be in Delhi at the time when Vinay Srivastava, described as his friend, was allegedly shot dead over a gambling brawl, at Vikas’s residence in Lucknow’s Thakurganj area in the wee hours of Friday.

Explaining the Act invoked against Vikas, another police official said according to the Act’s section 30 a person shall be punished with imprisonment for a term that may extend to six months or with a fine that may extend to ₹2,000 or with both. The official added that the police would file a charge-sheet against the accused after investigating how Vikas’ firearm was accessed by the three accused--Ankit Verma, Ajay Rawat and Shameem Gazi alias Baba--in his absence.

Lucknow joint commissioner of police (JCP-Crime) Akash Kulhary had previously said Ankit Verma confessed to shooting Vinay after a brawl over ₹12,000 that Vinay had lost in the game. He added while a total of six people were playing cards and drinking liquor, two—identified as Saurabh Rawat and Arun Pratap Singh--left before the fight.

The alleged murder took place at the house of the Union minister’s son at Begraiya Kala locality under Thakurganj police station limits. While Vikas was in Delhi at the time of the incident, his aides Ankit Verma, Ajay Rawat and Baba were staying at his house in his absence. It was said that they found the revolver from Vikas’ room where it was kept under a pillow.