Malerkotla sacrilege: AAP MLA Naresh Yadav meets Punjab DGP, says ready to join probe

AAP MLA Naresh Yadav, who has been booked and summoned in connection with the alleged June 24 Malerkotla sacrilege incident, along with party members today met the Punjab Police chief who assured them of "fair and impartial" probe.

The AAP delegation, led by party's Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh, met Director General of Police (DGP) Suresh Arora at his office here after which Yadav said he was ready to join the probe.

"We have told the DGP that we came to Chandigarh as soon as we came to know about the case. We are ready to join the investigation," Yadav told reporters after the meeting.

"We have also clearly told the DGP that if they find any evidence against me regarding sacrilege incident, they can hang me," he said.

The Punjab Police chief assured the AAP delegation that "free, fair and impartial" investigation would be carried out into the matter.

Yadav, AAP MLA from Mehrauli, had been booked in connection with alleged sacrilege incident after one of the accused claimed that he had acted at the behest of the legislator.

The MLA was booked under various sections of IPC including 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth etc and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295 injury or defiling place of worship with an intent to insult the religion of any class).

Punjab Police has asked him to appear on July 5 for questioning.

Asked about the reported phone calls between accused Vijay and Yadav, the DGP said "These are under investigation. I can tell you that I have told the AAP delegation that we will conduct a free, fair and impartial investigation."

Senior AAP leader and incharge of Punjab, Sanjay Singh said there should be no doubt that AAP MLA will not join the investigation.

"We are not running away from investigation, we will fight against any false allegations leveled on us. AAP does not believe in the politics of hatred. If there is any evidence in any audio or video recording or through money transaction against our MLA which points at his role, you hang him. But do not make false accusations. The DGP has assured us that fair investigation will be conducted," he said.

AAP had termed it as a "political conspiracy" to defame the party ahead of 2017 assembly polls.

In Amritsar, Delhi Chief Minister and party national convener Arvind Kejriwal yesterday hit out at the ruling SAD-BJP combine, alleging they were feeling "jittery" as AAP will sweep 2017 assembly polls and have stooped low to hatch conspiracy to defame the party.

Three persons--Vijay Kumar, Nand Kishor Goldy and Gaurav-- had been arrested by Sangrur police on June 27 in the case.

Vijay, an accused in the case and resident of Delhi, had claimed that he "did at the behest of Yadav".

Violence erupted after the alleged sacrilege incident in Malerkotla on June 24 in which a mob had attacked the house of local Akali Dal MLA Farzana Nissara Khatoon, wife of former Punjab DGP.

Several policemen including a DSP were injured as about 300-400 protesters had indulged in stone pelting and torched a car.