Lucknow, April 11 (IANS): A non-bailable warrant has been issued against an Uttar Pradesh minister accused of taking policemen hostage in 2007.

According to officials, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Barabanki Sarvajeet Singh issued the non-bailable warrant against Minister of State for power Yaseer Shah.

The warrant was issued after the minister refused to be present during hearings in a court with regard to a case lodged at the Nanpara police station in 2007.

Despite repeated summons, the minister refused to be present at the court, after which the CJM on Friday issued the warrant against him.

Warrants were also been issued against 32 other people, who along with the minister were accused of taking policemen hostage in 2007.

Following the court orders, Superintendent of Police of Bahraich, R.L. Verma asked the police officials concerned to ensure that the court orders be complied with and the accused be presented before the court on May 12, the next date of hearing.

The minister is accused along with others to have taken policemen, of the Nanpara police station, hostage after they arrested a village leader with a large cache of drugs.