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Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash alleged that Aam Aadmi Party MLAs attacked him inside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on 19 February, leading to a full-blown political battle. Delhi Police arrived at Kejriwal’s residence on Friday, 23 February, to review CCTV visuals that has reportedly recorded events of 19 February.
Two AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal were arrested and sent to a 14-day judicial custody.
The advisor to the Delhi Chief Minister, V K Jain, who was questioned by the police in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, has gone on a week-long medical leave, sources said today.
Prakash was allegedly assaulted by AAP MLAs during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence 19 February night.
Jain has not been coming to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) since the incident, the sources said.
The Delhi Police had last week told a court that during interrogation, Jain disclosed that AAP MLAs Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan surrounded the chief secretary and saw them assaulting him at Kejriwal's residence.
However, Jain had earlier said that he did not seen anything as he had gone to the washroom at the time of the incident.
Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on Tuesday attended a Cabinet meeting to finalise dates for the Delhi Assembly's Budget Session, his first official meet with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal since he was allegedly assaulted by AAP MLAs last week.
The Delhi Assembly's Budget Session would be held from March 16 to 28, the Cabinet has decided.
This is the first meeting of the chief secretary with Kejriwal since the alleged assault on him by some AAP MLAs at the chief minister's residence on 19 February.
In his letter, Prakash said, "A meeting of the Council of Ministers has been scheduled (today) to discuss important matters of finalisation of dates for the Budget Session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly." "Since finalising the dates of the Budget Session and passing of the budget are important for the functioning of government, I along with officers concerned, will be attending the meeting," he said.
Delhi's Tis Hazari court dismisses AAP's Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan's bail plea.
Rejecting Jarwal’s plea, the sessions court said it could not ignore the fact that the lawmaker had "openly violated the dignity" of a 56-year-old public servant who was "honestly discharging duties".
"This is not the case of a simple assault. The aggression shown by the accused towards the top bureaucrat, that too at the house of the Chief Minister, itself demonstrates that applicant has no respect for law and he can go to any extent to serve their interest.
"It is not only undemocratic and against the principles of good governance but would create fear in the minds of other officers and would shake the confidence of people in law enforcement machinery. The situation cannot be more alarming when law makers themselves do not respect the rule of law," the judge said while dismissing the plea filed against the order of the magistrate rejecting his bail.
Ahead of the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying officers will attend the meeting based on "assumption of no physical attack and verbal assault."
The Delhi government on 26 February said the attitude of its officials was not "correct" and they should show a positive response to its "efforts" in ending the crisis arising out of the alleged assault.
Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said the government has not received any communication from the agitating employees regarding their demand.
The resolution claimed that instead of apologising and admitting their mistake, the chief minister and and the deputy chief minister are in a "denial mode" which shows that they were a "part of the conspiracy."
The House of the BJP-led North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on 26 February passed a resolution condemning the alleged assault on the Chief secretary.
The resolution passed by the House, also read, it demands Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia resign from their posts and tender public apology for the incident.
An AAP delegation on 26 February met Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to demand "justice" and action in cases related to alleged assaults on minister Imran Hussain and Delhi Dialogue Commission's Vice Chairman Ashish Khetan, PTI reported.
The delegation, which included AAP leader Ashutosh and party MP Sanjay Singh, told reporters that they gave Patnaik "video evidence" of the assaults that took place on 20 February at the Delhi Secretariat.
Ashutosh said police were prompt in taking action against AAP MLAs Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan - for the alleged assault.
Harendra K Singh, the Additional DCP North told ANI that media reports quoting Delhi police’s statements in court that CCTVs have been tampered with are false.
The Delhi government is mulling live streaming of all official meetings following the alleged assault on Chief Secretary at Kejriwal’s residence, PTI reported.
"Through live streaming of official meetings, people will be able to know who spoke what in the meeting, be it the elected representative or officials," the official said.
Sporting black bands, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Joint Forum addressed the media over Delhi Secretary alleged assault case and demanded a written apology from Delhi CM, on Monday, 26 February.
The Delhi Police told a court on 26 February that the CCTV footage they obtained from CM Kejriwal’s residence in connection with the alleged assault has been tampered with. They added that there was the timestamp on the clip did not match the sequence of events, ANI reported.
The police will be sending the recorded footage to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to examine it. The court as reserved the order for 27 February.
Additional DCP Harendra Singh told the court the meeting between Prakash, Kejriwal and a few Aam Aadmi Party MLAs was held in the living room of the CM’s residence, the ANI report added. He said the CCTV footage would be studied by the Forensic Science Laboratory
While addressing a rally in Uttam Nagar, AAP MLA Naresh Balyan said that inefficient officers deserve to be thrashed.
After a council of ministers led by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia met Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal at his residence, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying LG has assured that the officers will co-operate with the ministers.
He also said that AAP ministers will co-operate with the oficers for the betterment of Delhi.
Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia addressed the media after a brief meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal at the latter’s residence.
Sisodia said that he discussed with the LG how the lives of citizens have been affected as officers stopped cooperating with the ministers of state.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders, along with deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, arrived at Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal’s residence to discuss the matter between the party and Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with a few Aam Aadmi Party MLAs will meet Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal at the latter’s residence at 5 pm, reported CNN-News18.
Kejriwal will also hold a press conference after the meet.
Additional DCP Harendra Singh has been called to brief the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal over the face-off between Aam Aadmi Party and Chief secretary Anshu Prakash, reported CNN-News18.
A Delhi Court on Friday, 23 February, rejected bail plea of two AAP MLAs who were arrested for allegedly assaulting Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.
The Delhi police said they have seized the recordings of 21 CCTV cameras and a hard disc, reported ANI.
The AAP, meanwhile, released a video of the police inside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.
Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said that he met with the members of the IAS association regarding the alleged assault of Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.
He added that they briefed him about their “difficulties”, and that a committee will be constituted to look into their “concerns”.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took tweeted that he has requested to meet Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, 23 February said asserted that the courts must probe Judge Loya death, and asked if cops will “question” Amit Shah, following the police “search” at his residence.
Reacting to it, Kejriwal said, "A huge posse of policemen was sent to my residence. The entire CM residence is being searched over allegations of two slaps." "But when will Amit Shah be questioned in connection with Judge Loya's death," he asked on Twitter.
Following the arrests of AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal over the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, the Delhi Police, on Friday, 23 February, arrived at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to review the CCTV footage.
A team including the local police, the cyber crime branch and forensic experts have visited Kejriwal's residence to look for CCTV footage, reported Hindustan Times.
This is reportedly the first time Delhi Police has conducted a review at a chief minister’s residence.
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Published: 23 Feb 2018,12:09 PM IST