Ex-BSP Lawmaker's Son, Who Waved Gun At Delhi 5-Star Hotel, Gets Bail

Ashish Pandey, the BSP leader's son who waved a gun and threatened a woman at a five-star hotel in Delhi, was released on bail today. Pandey had gone missing for some days since he was seen in a mobile video waving the gun, abusing and threatening a woman at the Hyatt Regency on October 14. He was sent to two-week judicial custody after he surrendered at a Delhi court on October 18.

He and his friends were seen driving away in a BMW, stopped neither by the hotel staff or security. The police acted when the video went viral online, provoking public outrage at the venal display of VIP arrogance.

A chargesheet was filed against Pandey by Delhi Police on Thursday. If convicted, he may be given a seven-year jail term. He is the son of Rakesh Pandey, a former lawmaker from Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. His brother Ritesh Pandey represents the Jalalpur constituency in Uttar Pradesh assembly.

A plea was filed by Delhi Police which had registered an FIR on the complaint of the assistant security manager of The Hyatt Regency alleging that one person was flagging pistol in his hand in the porch area of the hotel after a tiff with a guest.

The man Pandey threatened, Kanwar Gaurav Singh, has given a detailed statement on what happened that day. The row began when Gaurav Singh accompanied his woman friend to the ladies' restroom. A group of women entered and a fight started.

Gaurav Singh has said when he and his friend were leaving, the group was waiting for them. They were with four men. "Then one man in pink pants walked to me and showed me his gun and said I will kill you," he said in his statement.

Later, he said, "This man got out of his car, showed me his gun and said I will kill you, I am from Lucknow. I requested not to shoot or fight. The girls started showing finger to my friend and my friend also showed her finger back at them."

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