Chief Secy assault case: Two AAP MLAs sent to judicial custody

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

Two AAP MLAs have been arrested in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, a police official said today.

The Medical Legal Case (MLC) report has also confirmed that the Chief Secretary has sustained injury over his lower lip, pain was felt in the neck movement and both ears, and mild swelling over right side of the face, which tells he was roughed up, said Dr JP Kaushal who conducted the MLC at Asaf Ali Government Hospital.

AAP MLA Amantullah Khan was arrested today after he appeared at the Jamia Nagar police station with a large group of supporters. Party legislator from Deoli, Prakash Jarwal, who was detained last night, was also arrested and both have been sent to one day’s judicial custody, said Additional DCP (North) Harendra Kumar Singh.

The Chief Secretary in his FIR had alleged that Khan was sitting next to him on a sofa and on other side another AAP MLA was sitting during the Monday night meeting, "and without provocation, the two legislators started hitting and assaulting me with blows on head and temple."

However, Khan and AAP denied the allegations. Khan alleged that the Chief Secretary was acting at the behest of the BJP, that the incident is a pretext to dismiss the AAP government and the Delhi Police is working under the pressure of the Home Minister.

The Chief Secretary said in the FIR that he had received a call from advisor to the Chief Minister VK Jain around 6.55 pm, who had told him that if the matter of TV advertisements was not resolved by the evening, then he should reach the CM residence at midnight to discuss it.

He claims he had explained earlier that any advertisement to be released should not be in contravention of the Supreme Court guidelines. "Jain again called me around 1.20 pm...Thereafter, I left my residence in my official car and driver along with my PSO and reached the CM residence at midnight," reads the FIR.

According to the FIR, “They hit several blows with fists on my head and temple. My spectacles fell to the ground I was in a state of shock. With difficulty, I was able to leave the room and get into my official car and leave. None of the persons made any attempt to save me.”

The Chief Secretary in his FIR alleged that the assault was premeditated and a conspiracy of all those present. Police have filed the FIR including the charge of criminal conspiracy in it.

IPC sections invoked

Police have invoked stringent IPC section, including hatching a criminal conspiracy and assaulting and threatening a public servant.

The FIR has been filed against Okhla MLA Amanatuallah Khan and others, a police official said. Apart from Section 120 B that pertains to criminal conspiracy, the police have invoked sections related to wrongful confinement (342), attacking and obstructing a public servant (186/353), assaulting a public servant while on duty (332), intentional insult with intent to cause breach of trust (504), common intention (34) and criminal intimidation (506), said a senior police officer.