The Delhi High Court on Monday said that the vandalism outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home last month reflects a “disturbing state of affairs” and highlighted a clear failure on the part of the police, Live Law reported.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla directed the Delhi Police commissioner to fix the responsibility for the “serious lapse”.
The judges made the observations after reading a status report filed by the Delhi Police in the case. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj had filed a plea seeking a Special Investigation Team inquiry into the attack on the chief minister’s home.
“This kind of incident happening at residence of a constitutional functionary is very disturbing state of affairs,” the bench said, according to Live Law. “What kind of bandobast [arrangement] did you [police] have? You need to look into your functioning. It could have been anybody, any minister, judge...”
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing the Delhi Police, said that an investigation into the matter was ongoing and a review of the chief minister’s security had been undertaken, according to PTI.
On the other hand, senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Rahul Mehta, appearing on behalf of Bharadwaj, urged the court to constitute a Special Investigation Team for an impartial inquiry.
The court directed the Delhi Police to file another status report within two weeks. It will hear the case next on May 17.
The matter
On March 30, a group of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers, led by the outfit’s president and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya, had held protests outside Kejriwal’s home. They sought an apology from the Delhi chief minister for his remarks about The Kashmir Files film.
The Aam Aadmi Party had alleged that BJP members broke CCTV cameras and security barriers at Kejriwal’s home despite Delhi Police officers being present at the scene.
A day after the attack, the police said they have arrested eight members of the outfit in connection with the vandalism based on the CCTV footage.
On April 6, the youth wing members were denied bail by a Delhi court that had said that the accused men had intentionally exceeded their fundamental right to protest peacefully. They had then moved to the Delhi High Court, which on April 14 granted them bail on a surety bond of Rs 35,000.
After being released, the eight youth wing members were felicitated by Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that the BJP was felicitating those who were responsible for a “murderous attack on the CM’s house”.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi added that the felicitation sends out a message to BJP workers that they will be rewarded if they indulge in “hooliganism and vandalism”.
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