Arvind Kejriwal's adviser, VK Jain, has admitted during questioning that he saw AAP MLAs assault Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash at the Chief Minister's residence on Monday midnight, the Delhi police informed a local court on Thursday.
This comes as a huge embarrassment for Delhi's ruling party as it had strongly denied the allegation after two of its MLAs were sent to jail for the assault on Wednesday. Delhi's bureaucracy remains in revolt against the Kejriwal-led government.
Police officials informed Metropolitan Magistrate Shefali Barnala Tandon that Jain has said in his statement under Section 164 of the CrPC that he saw legislators assaulting Delhi's top bureaucrat when he came out of the washroom.
The police had held Deoli MLA Prakash Jarwal on Tuesday night, while Okhla MLA Amantullah Khan surrendered on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the court sent the two MLAs to 14-day judicial custody. It reserved its order on their bail applications for Friday.
AAP had denied the allegation of assault.
AAP had, in fact, sought action for Prakash's "misconduct" at the meeting with the CM, in an escalation of its fight with the Centre over who has a greater control over the city-state.
On Wednesday, the court sent the two MLAs to prison till Thursday, as it rejected the police's plea for a two-day custodial interrogation.
On Thursday, the police moved a fresh application and said after Jain's statement, the custody of the MLAs should be granted. The lawyer for the MLAs opposed the move. The court did not pass any order.
The Chief secretary had mentioned Jain's name in his complaint to the police. He said that he was assaulted over delays in release of advertisements to highlight the government's achievements. AAP has said the meeting had been called to discuss complaints on ration distribution, and the official made casteist remarks.
The confrontations underline a breakdown of already soured equations between the national capital's ruling party and officials led by L-G Anil Baijal, who reports to the BJP-led Central government.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has received and is examining a report from Baijal on the "pre-meditated" assault.
"I haven't done anything wrong. The CS is working on BJPs directions, trying to deface the government. There is no evidence to prove that he was manhandled," MLA Khan had said.
Delhi's unique status as a Union Territory means the state government has no say in policing, land and transfer-posting of bureaucrats — all under the L-G's control.
Who is VK Jain?
- A 1984-batch IAS officer, VK Jain was handpicked by Arvind Kejriwal in 2017 after he retired from Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board
- A close confidant of Kejriwal, he was responsible for all the meetings and handling important documents related to CM office
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