Court grants interim protection from arrest to AAP MLA in assault case

A Delhi court Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi till September 13 in a case of allegedly assaulting an MCD official earlier his month.

Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar said he will hear the anticipatory bail application of Tripathi on Friday and granted relief till then.

According to the complainant, Ravinder Kumar Gupta, an MCD inspector, the politician and his supporters obstructed him from doing his official duty while he was monitoring the cleaning works in Azadpur area and assaulted him.

In his application before the court, Tripathi said however that he was "unwarrantedly persecuted and maligned by inept and inefficient officials".

"Complainant (Gupta), with a view to create a smokescreen and evade disciplinary action against him called up the workers of the rival parties and some other henchmen to gather at the spot to browbeat and heckle the applicant," Tripathi said, seeking protection from arrest in the case.

The case was filed under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code at Adarsh Nagar police station.