Crime Branch to probe alleged assault on woman by APP MLAs

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has been tasked with investigating the allegation that three Aam AAP MLAs manhandled and abused a woman on the state assembly premises.
The three MLAs are Amanatullah Khan (of Okhla), Somnath Bharti (Malviya Nagar) and Jarnail Singh (Tilak Nagar).
The North District police had lodged an FIR in the matter but the case was transferred to the Crime Branch a few days ago.
Joint commissioner of Delhi Police (Crime) Praveer Ranjan confirmed the development.
"The district police has to deal with law and order problems as well as routine crime incidents. However, the Crime Branch is a specific unit and the matter has been transfered to it to ensure a speedy probe," said an officer privy to the development.

The three MLAs have been accused of assaulting a woman with "an intent to outrage her modesty and using words or gestures to hurt a woman".

The incident happened on June 28 and after the woman recorded her statement on June 29, the police sought legal opinion on the matter, sources said.
In her statement, the complainant accused the three MLAs of roughing her up and abusing her.
"I had gone to see the proceedings of the House, but could not get a pass for the Visitor's Gallery. While I was standing outside the building, some men, including Khan and Singh, who were a part of a scuffle that was taking place there, came towards me," she had claimed in her complaint.

She had said "they pushed her and shoved her". She was later taken to a room where she was assaulted, threatened and beaten up by Singh and Khan, she alleged. The duo was later joined by Bharti who abused her, she claimed.
The AAP dispensation, in its tenure of a little over two years, has had an uneasy relationship with the police, with 15 of its MLAs being arrested for charges ranging from rioting, outraging the modesty of woman and sexual harassment to criminal intimidation and assault.