The UP police, which was kept in the loop following his detention, produced him in a Nagpur court on Monday and secured his transit remand and took him to Lucknow. Confirming the arrest, UP DGP O P Singh told mid-day, "Sayyed Asim Ali was arrested on the basis of some electronic evidence. Ali was directly in touch with the accused arrested last week. Investigation is on to ascertain his exact role in the killing."

The UP police said they suspect that Ali masterminded the murder of Hindu Samaj Party chief Tiwari. They had earlier also said that the three suspects were "radicalised" and appeared to have targeted Tiwari for his inflammatory remarks made against Prophet Muhammad in 2015.

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.86%

AAP 41.43%

INC 25.71%

Submit

View All In Poll

Tiwari, a former Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha leader, was stabbed and shot dead at his residence in Lucknow on Friday. The police arrested three accused — Maulana Mohsin Sheikh, 24, Khurshid Ahmed Pathan, 23, and Faizan Sheikh, 21, — the next day from Surat.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates