The Kejriwal-led AAP is in serious trouble yet again as the Delhi police is set to file a chargesheet against Kejriwal along with his deputy Sisodia and seven other AAP MLAs. They are to be reportedly booked for assaulting the chief secretary of Delhi, Anshu Prakash on February 19. Sources stated that the police is all set to prepare the chargesheet, based on the pieces of evidence and statements.
A senior police officer has confirmed this development to the Hindustan Times on the condition of anonymity. He stated that the chargesheet naming the chief minister and his deputy would be filed at the Tis Hazari court next week.
The shameful assault on Delhi’s chief secretary took place on February 19 at the chief minister’s residence. Anshu Prakash had been called at an odd hour for a meeting at the chief minister’s residence. According to lawyer Prashant Patel, the chief secretary was physically assaulted by AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, others joined him as well. The dispute revolved around the chief secretary’s reluctance to grant more funds for Delhi government’s propaganda about its work.
In his complaint, Anshu Prakash gave a vivid and reliable account of the entire incident. He stated that the assault on him was no sudden outburst, but premeditated. He also added that he was asked to sit between two MLAs.The senior bureaucrat went on to narrate how he was questioned by Kejriwal about the delay in releasing AAP government’s three year anniversary TV campaign. While he was trying to explain the entire situation, Prakash was subjected to verbal assault by the AAP legislators present in the room. One MLA went on to intimidate him by saying that Prakash will be confined in a room for the entire night unless he agreed to release the TV campaign. Prakash stated that he can identify the MLA who threatened him. The chief secretary added on the issue of physical assault by Amanatullah and other MLAs that “without any provocation, they started hitting and assaulting me and hit several blows with fists on my head and temple.” Thereafter, Prakash went straight to the lieutenant governor Baijal’s residence in order to register a formal complaint.
The IAS association had gone up in protest against this shameful act by Kejriwal and its MLAs. However, the AAP shamelessly continued to blame the chief secretary and did not even apologise for its unruly behaviour.
After this incident, Amanatullah Khan and another MLA involved in the physical assault were arrested and later released on bail. Even though Kejriwal and Sisodia had not been arrested and were not named in the FIR, the police have questioned them once. Now, the prospective chargesheet against the Delhi chief minister, his deputy and other accused AAP MLAs seems to be on a strong footing. Even Delhi chief minister’s former advisor, VK Jain had stated that he had witnessed the act of assault. His testimony is being seen as a key evidence against the accused including Kejriwal in the chief secretary’s assault. There have also been reports of tampering with the CCTV footage which also strongly hint at a criminal conspiracy to physically assault the top bureaucrat. However, the AAP and Kejriwal have continued to indulge in mud-slinging over the entire issue. They have continued to blame the centre and have claimed that the Delhi police is filing a “bogus” chargesheet. The circumstances surrounding the assault case strongly suggest against the case being a bogus one. It seems that the AAP is not able to find a way out of the trouble that it is in. Only time will tell if the police will be able to prove the charges before the court but given the strong base on which the chargesheet stands it is anything but “bogus”.