Chief Secretary case: Kejriwal to face conspiracy charge, AAP slams conspiracy
New Delhi, June 28: Delhi Police is likely to charge Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia with conspiracy in the alleged assault of Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by two AAP MLAs, said police sources. The ruling AAP slammed the case as politically motivated.
According to the police sources, the charge sheet will "most probably" be filed at Tis Hazari Court here in the first week of July.
Terming it a politically motivated case, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that this is a conspiracy to defame the Delhi Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.
"Delhi Police has been planting all kinds of fictitious stories since the last four months. The truth is that a conspiracy was hatched by the police and Prakash to defame CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in a bid to destabilise the elected state government," AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told the media.
Prakash, who had gone to attend a late night "emergency" meeting called by Kejriwal at his residence in Civil Lines on February 19, had alleged that he was assaulted by Aam Aadmi Party MLAs Amanutullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal.
The timing of the CCTV cameras installed at Kejriwal's residence was tampered, according to the police.
The two MLAs were arrested a day after the allegation was made and were later released on bail.
Kejriwal and Sisodia were interrogated separately by police last month for calling the meeting late in the night and for the "tampering" with the cameras.
Bhardwaj however claimed that no incidence of violence took place on the night of February 19 at the Delhi CM's residence and that "CCTV tampering allegation has proved to be false".
"Delhi Polce has been unable to answer a simple question that if the Chief Secretary was assaulted, then how was it that in the CCTV footage he was seen walking normally out of the CM residence.
"The Chief Secretary - a person with close links with senior BJP leaders - instead of going to the police, went straight to Raj Niwas at 12.30 p.m., where the Lt. Governor, along with Delhi Police Commissioner were already waiting for him to implicate the CM and dozen AAP MLAs in a fabricated case," Bhardwaj alleged.
He further went on to say that it is a matter of shame for the the Delhi Police has allowed itself to be a "spineless political arm of the Central government".
"AAP won't be cowed down by such repressive measures and will strongly contest the bogus police chargesheet as and when it will be filed in the court.
"The party will expose the conspiracy against itself before the people," he said.
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Mamata visits Bhabanipur EVM strong room, warns against counting irregularities
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee early Friday warned against any attempt to tamper with the counting process, hours after she visited an EVM strong room in Bhabanipur, alleging possible malpractice.
Banerjee, who emerged around 12:07 am after spending nearly four hours at the counting centre for her Bhabanipur constituency housed in Sakhawat Memorial School in south Kolkata, said only one person would be allowed inside the designated counting area.
"Either the candidate or one agent can stay upstairs. I have also suggested installation of a CCTV camera for the media," she told reporters.
Stressing the need for transparency, she said, "It is essential to maintain transparency. People’s votes must be protected. I rushed here after receiving complaints. The central forces initially did not allow me to enter."
Sounding a stern note ahead of the May 4 counting, she added, "If there is any plan to tamper with the counting process, it will not be tolerated."
On Thursday evening, Banerjee had reached the Bhabanipur Assembly segment counting centre, which houses the strong room for EVMs used in the April 29 polling, citing suspicion of tampering with the machines.
She entered the premises along with her election agent and remained inside for hours, even as Kolkata Mayor and TMC candidate from the Kolkata Port segment Firhad Hakim reached the spot but could not meet her.
"I reached here upon learning that the chief minister has arrived. But I couldn’t meet her since she was already inside the premises, exercising her right as a candidate to visit strong rooms. I wasn’t allowed there. I will not be able to confirm what exactly is transpiring inside," Hakim said.
The development coincided with protests by TMC candidates Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra in north Kolkata, where they staged a sit-in alleging irregularities and possible tampering of EVMs stored in strong rooms, leading to face-offs between TMC and BJP supporters.
Earlier in a video message, Banerjee had urged party leaders, workers and polling agents to maintain a 24-hour vigil on EVM strong rooms, alleging that the BJP could attempt to tamper with the machines before counting begins.
Her remarks come amid heightened political tension in the state following a fiercely contested Assembly election, with parties closely monitoring arrangements and raising concerns over transparency.
