AAP MLA Jarwal seeks court-monitored CS assault case probe

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Prakash Jarwal on Thursday moved a Delhi court to seek a court-monitored investigation into the Chief Secretary assault case, in which he is one of the accused MLAs.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought its reply by June 27, the next date of hearing.

In his application moved through lawyers B.S. Joon and Mohammad Irshad, the Deoli legislator expressed apprehension that the police may tamper with the statements of witnesses and the videotaped content of the day when the alleged incident took place.

AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal were arrested by Delhi Police on the charge of assaulting Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on February 19 night at the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Jarwal was granted bail by the Delhi High Court in March.

"The investigating agency has already examined more than 20 persons, including some MLAs/Ministers in three months but it still is uncertain about the status of such persons -- whether they will be made accused or witnesses in the chargesheet," the petitioner said.

Jarwal also said that the police had given an "incorrect and baseless statement" to the media on alleged evasion of questions on the alleged assault by Kejriwal during his questioning in the matter.

The Chief Secretary had accused the two AAP legislators of assault in the presence of Kejriwal at the CM's residence, where the top bureaucrat had been called for an emergency meeting.

--IANS

akk/tsb/bg