The Delhi Police on Friday went to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home to look for closed circuit television footage in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash. The police will also question the staff at Kejriwal’s residence, NDTV reported.
“There are 21 cameras installed out of which 14 were operational and recording was off in seven,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Harender Singh said. “The cameras were running behind time by 40 minutes. We have seized recordings of 21 CCTV cameras and a hard disk.”
There was no camera in the room where the alleged incident took place, he added.
The police said they had decided to search the chief minister’s home after the state Public Works Department had refused to provide the footage, which is a technical evidence in the matter, The Indian Express reported. “There is a possibility that it will be tampered with,” the newspaper quoted an unidentified police official as saying.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal sought time from Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to hold a meeting with regards to Prakash’s allegations.
“I am glad that the Delhi Police is investigating the case with so much dedication,” Kejriwal said, according to ANI. “I would like to ask the investigating agencies to probe CBI Judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya’s death with the same dedication and question Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah in connection with it. The country will congratulate the Delhi Police.”
Anshu Prakash had alleged that some Aam Aadmi Party legislators had assaulted him at a meeting at the chief minister’s residence in Flagstaff Road in Delhi’s Civil Lines late on February 19. Prakash claimed Kejriwal was present at the time of the incident. On Wednesday, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal told the Centre that the incident reflected a breakdown between bureaucrats and the political leadership in Delhi.
“How is it that the Delhi police can investigate at the chief minister’s residence, but there been no investigation into the attack of our minister even after we identified the accused?” AAP leader Sanjay Singh asked at a press conference.
He claimed that the police action could not have been possible without an order from the Narendra Modi-government. Singh, however, said the party had no issue with the inquiry at Kejriwal’s office.
Party leaders at the news conference also showed a short clip of senior police officers inside Kejriwal’s office, asking about the wall paint of the room. “These questions are ridiculous and preposterous,” AAP counsel BS Joon said.
AAP claimed on Twitter that “police raj” had “killed democracy” in the national Capital by entering Kejriwal’s house without intimation. “If this is what they can do with an elected chief minister, think of what they can do with poor people!” the party added.
IAS officers meet MoS PMO
A delegation of Delhi government’s Indian Administrative Services officers on Friday morning met minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jitendra Singh, to discuss the matter. He said the ministry had taken cognisance of what the officers’ complaints.
“We do not want to get into any controversy,” Singh told reporters at a press conference after the meeting. “The Department of Personnel Training is the cadre controlling authority of the IAS officers. We want to protect the interests of these officers. A large number of issues have come to our notice and we have taken a note of them all.”
Singh said the officers had submitted a memorandum. “We should get the best out of our officers and we must enable them to perform to the best of their performance in the interest of the nation.”
The IAS Association said it had apprised the minister of the harassment meted out to the officers. “We requested him to protect us and probably devise a way for the better protection of officers,” Manisha, secretary of the IAS Association, told reporters. “We made him aware of incidents in the last 3 years and how officers were pressurised.”
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in the evening that state government officials spoke with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, and told him that several meetings were cancelled because bureaucrats did not even answer calls.
“The lieutenant governor said that he will ensure that officials come for meetings and work with ministers,” Sisodia added. “The chief minister said that he will make sure that no untoward incident takes place.”
On Thursday, the Delhi Police told a magistrate that Kejriwal’s aide VK Jain claimed he saw MLAs physically assaulting Prakash on the night of the alleged incident. However, Jain had earlier told the police that the chief secretary was not assaulted in his presence. Senior AAP leaders have claimed the police put pressure on Jain to change his statement. Jain was questioned for hours by the Delhi Police on Wednesday.
AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal have been accused of manhandling the Delhi chief secretary during the meeting. Both leaders were arrested and have been lodged at Tihar jail. A court in Delhi on Friday rejected their bail petitions.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!