AAP to move Delhi HC against arrests of party MLAs

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of calling Punjab Police to arrest a party legislator in a Quran desecration case, the AAP on Monday said it will move the Delhi High Court against the arrest of its legislators in "false" cases.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also accused the Centre of using the Delhi Police as a "political tool" and said police had failed to control the rising crime against women in the national capital.

"The AAP will file a writ petition in the Delhi High Court against the unnecessary arrest of our legislators by the Delhi Police in false cases. We will inform the court that our MLAs are being framed in false cases," said AAP lawmaker Rajendra Pal Gautam.

AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan was arrested on Sunday on charge of threatening a woman. The same day, another AAP MLA, Naresh Yadav, was arrested by the Punjab Police in a Quran desecration case in that state.

Gautam added: "You (Modi) called the Punjab Police to Delhi to arrest Naresh Yadav. Why not call the Gujarat and Goa Police also to arrest other MLAs?"

He said the AAP was not scared by these tactics.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Dilip Pandey said the AAP's youth and women wings will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday to apprise him of what he termed as the "rising lawlessness in the national capital".

"Crime against women is increasing every day in the national capital. The Delhi Police has failed to perform its mandated duties because it is being used as a political tool," Pandey said.

Pandey said the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) had recommended to the central government to form a high-level committee for women's safety but to no avail.

He asked the Home Minister to reveal the steps the central government took to ensure the safety of women in Delhi and across the country.

"The rape incident in Burari area of Delhi was heart-rending. The issue of women's safety should be above politics and police should make all-out efforts to stop such incidents and take strictest action against the perpetrators," Pandey added.

A 14-year-old Dalit girl, who was raped at Burari in north Delhi, died of her internal injuries in a hospital here on Sunday.

--IANS

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