Gorakhpur/Basti, Nov 2 (IANS): The Chief Judicial Magistrate, MP/MLA court Basti, Pramod Giri, has directed the officials to confiscate properties of former minister Amar Mani Tripathi under section 82 of the CrPC and fixed next date of hearing on November 16.

The court expressed dissatisfaction over the report of Basti police regarding its efforts to arrest and produce Tripathi before court.

In a hearing of the 22-year-old kidnapping case on October 17, the court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Tripathi and had directed SP Basti to arrest him and produce him before court on November 1.

The court, on Wednesday, also declared the former Minister a proclaimed offender in the case.

Tripathi is an accused in the abduction of the son of a businessman, Dharmraj Gupta, in Basti in 2001.

The court directed Tripathi to be produced before it on November 16.

Tripathi, convicted in the murder of poetess Madhumita Shukla in 2003, had been given life sentences. However, he was recently released from Gorakhpur jail by the Uttar Pradesh government on grounds of good behaviour.

In its report, the five-member medical board had stated that Tripathi was suffering from depression and his treatment should be done in accordance with the instructions of the State Medical Council.

However, the court said that an accused could not be exempted from appearing before the court on this ground.

The court also declared Tripathi’s associates, Nainish and Shivam Kumar, as absconders.

On December 6, 2001, Rahul Madhesia, son of Dharmraj, was abducted while he was going to the school.

An FIR was lodged in Basti Kotwali in this connection.

Seven days later, Rahul was recovered by STF from a house in Lucknow.

“The former minister and seven others were sent to jail in the case,” a police officer said.

“Out of the eight accused, Amar Mani and two others, Shivam Kumar and Nainish, are out. Five others were sent to jail. Nainish and Shivam are still elusive,” he added.