BSP leader whose son brandished gun outside Delhi hotel has huge business empire

Former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Rakesh Pandey has just passed class 8 but meticulously built his business empire that spreads from his home district Ambedkar Nagar in east Uttar Pradesh to Maharashtra, Delhi and other states.

A construction company, liquor business, sugar mills, resorts, rice mills, steel unit, cooking oil unit, agriculture and brick kilns are among the business across the country owned by BSP leader Rakesh Pandey, whose son Ashish Pandey is wanted by the Delhi police after a video showing him brandishing a gun in front of the capital’s Hyatt Hotel went viral on the social media.

Former BSP MP’s son Ashish Pandey is seen brandishing a gun outside Hyatt Regency hotel in South Delhi in a video that has gone viral on social media. (HT)

The former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP has just passed class 8 pass but meticulously built his business empire that spreads from his home district Ambedkar Nagar in east Uttar Pradesh to Maharashtra, Delhi and other states.

He has made huge investments in agricultural land in Ambedkar Nagar, Faizabad and Sultanpur districts. According to the affidavit submitted by Pandey before the 2014 Lok Sabha election, his movable assets were worth Rs 17.26 crore and his wife Manju Pandey owned assets worth Rs 8.19 crore. His immovable property is worth Rs 1.49 crore and that of his wife is Rs 2.37 crore.

In the affidavit, he did not mention the assets of his sons Ritesh Pandey, a BSP MLA from Jalalpur assembly seat, and Ashish.

A family member, who did not wish to be named, said: “Pandey has mentioned in his affidavit the properties and companies that he owns. Ashish is managing his father’s business and majority of the properties are owned by him, including residential and commercial buildings in Lucknow, Delhi and Uttarakhand. The construction company run by him has built apartments in Mumbai, Delhi and various cities in UP.”

The affidavit also mention Pandey and his wife own firearms including pistols and rifles. Ashish’s uncles, former MLA Pawan Pandey and Krishna Kant Pandey, also own weapons.

Ashish also has a pistol and a rifle. He has even posted his pictures brandishing guns on Facebook.

Himself being a high school dropout, Rakesh Pandey sent his sons to reputed educational institutions. While Ashish studied in Marshall School, Dehradun, Ritesh completed graduation in international business from European Business School, London, before joining politics.

Ritesh Pandey, the younger son, Wednesday said, “We are in a state of shock. Ashish never had any criminal record. We are cooperating in the investigation and we have full faith in the country’s judicial system.”