Assaulted at Kejri house, says Chief Secy; MLA detained

New Delhi, February 20

With Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash lodging an FIR for an alleged assault on him by ruling Aam Aadmi Party MLAs at the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal late last night, where he had gone for a meeting, the issue appears to have snowballed into a major controversy.

AAP legislator Prakash Jarwal, who along with MLA Ajay Dutt alleged that Anshu Prakash “abused” and made “casteist” remarks against them, was detained tonight in connection with the alleged assault, police said. He was picked up from his house at Deoli. “There is a possibility he will be arrested later,” sources said.

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The BJP has demanded Kejriwal’s resignation, while the Congress termed the incident an “administrative and constitutional crisis” and sought an apology from the Chief Minister.

Anshu Prakash alleged the “premeditated” assault on him was a “conspiracy” of those present at a meeting. He alleged that Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 11-12 AAP MLAs present at the meeting threatened to “implicate” him in false cases if the issue of releasing TV advertisements about the AAP government’s achievements was not resolved. He was roughed up, he alleged.

The CM’s office has, however, termed his allegations “bizarre and baseless”. Sisodia said the allegations were “ludicrous”.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has sought a report from Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. After meeting a delegation of officers, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Civil servants should be allowed to work with dignity and without fear. I am deeply pained... justice will be done.” 

Members of the IAS officers’ association met Baijal and later said they would boycott all meetings convened by Kejriwal and his Cabinet colleagues till the CM apologised. 

In an email to the Commissioner of Police, Dutt demanded an FIR against Anshu Prakash. He said he had asked the CS about complaints regarding ration distribution in his constituency (Ambedkar Nagar), but the latter misbehaved and left the meeting.

The Delhi secretariat reportedly witnessed chaos as Environment Minister Imran Hussain was mobbed by the staff. The police had to escort the minister to his office. The minister later filed a complaint alleging assault.  Meanwhile, the IAS officers’ associations of Punjab and Haryana have condemned the “assault”. — TNS/PTI