Assault on Chief Secretary: AAP MLAs to remain in 14-day judicial custody in Tihar jail

The Delhi Court on Thursday ordered that both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs arrested in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary will remain in 14-day judicial custody.

Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal were arrested for allegedly assaulting Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

The MLAs will remain in Tihar Jail. 

Meanwhil`e, the court also reserved order on their bail pleas for tomorrow.

On Wednesday, the court dismissed the police's plea for custodial interrogation of MLAs. During the hearing, public prosecutor Atul Shrivastava sought two days police custody. However, Metropolitan Magistrate Shefali Barnala Tandon rejected the plea of the Delhi Police saying the two legislators were ready to cooperate and join the investigation.

While Jarwal, an MLA from Deoli, was arrested last night, party legislator from Jamia Nagar, Khan, was taken into custody this afternoon.

In his complaint, Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash had alleged that he was sitting on a sofa flanked by Amantullah and another AAP MLA during the Monday night meeting, and without provocation, the two legislators "started hitting and assaulting" him "with blows on head and temple". The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has denied the allegations.

Khan alleged that the chief secretary was acting at the behest of the BJP and "the incident is a pretext to dismiss the AAP government".

The Delhi Police is working under pressure of the home minister, he alleged.

The officer claimed he was questioned about the AAP government's media publicity during the meeting, while the AAP functionaries say he was called to discuss complaints on ration distribution.

The chief secretary in his complaint 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.