Tomar's arrest legal, says Delhi Police chief

Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said on Tuesday the arrest of Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar in a fake degree case was legal.

"Tomar has been arrested within the parameters of law," he said.

At a press conference at Delhi Police headquarters, the top officer reiterated that Tomar's arrest was in accordance with law.

"There is no conspiracy behind the arrest. It is unfair to give it a political hue," the city police commissioner said.

"Based on the enquiry and the documents and reports obtained from Awadh University, Faizabad, in Uttar Pradesh and Tilka Manjhi University, Bhagalpur, in Bihar, and other enquiries from officials and ex-officials disclosed a cognizable offence," Delhi Police public relation officer Rajan Bhagat said.

"And accordingly, a case FIR No.605/15 under section 420/467/468/471 and 120B IPC at police station Hauz Khas has been registered," Bhagat added.

Elaborating the procedure, Joint Commissioner of Special Cell R.S. Krishnaiah said the complaint against Tomar was received on May 11 on behalf of Puneet Mittal, the Delhi Bar Council secretary, regarding Tomar's fake degree.

He said two police teams were sent to Awadh University in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, and Tilka Manjhi University in Bhagalpur, Bihar, to check the veracity of the documents.

"After verification process, both the degrees of Tomar were found forged. The roll number mentioned in the provisional certificate of Ll.B. degree was found to be allotted to another student, Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary, from a different stream issued in 1999," he added.

"The facsimile signature of Rajender Prasad Singh as Controller of Examination, on the marks sheet of Tomar's Ll.B. (Part III) and Provisional Degree were found to be forged," Krishnaiah said.

"During the course of investigation, Jitender Singh Tomar was asked to join investigation and after his examination as per the established procedure, he was formally arrested," Krishnaiah said.

Tomar was arrested here at 1.30 p.m. over his alleged fake law degree. In the evening, he was sent to four-day police custody for interrogation.