No threat perception to AAP leader Ashish Khetan: Police to HC

The city police today told the Delhi High Court that there was no threat perception to AAP leader Ashish Khetan, who had alleged death threats from right-wing organisations.
The court, however, asked the police to file a status report on Khetan's complaint and communicate the same to him.
A bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar made it clear that it could not frame guidelines to be adopted by probe agencies for dealing with such complaints as it was an exercise to be done by the police.
"We also do not take cognisance of the complaint in this regard. We cannot frame guidelines, it is their exercise. They have their own procedure for citizens who have threat perception," it said and listed the matter for November 28.

The bench stated that even judiciary was dependent on the police for security of judges.
"They are the ones who provide all kinds of arms and ammunitions. They are doing it," it said.

During the hearing, the police informed the bench that it had received Khetan's complaint which had been forwarded to the special cell, and as of now they had not been able to trace the source of the alleged threat letter sent to him.
"As of now, there is no threat perception to him," Delhi Police counsel Gautam Narayan told the court.
The counsel for Khetan argued the police should at least imform the AAP leader about the status of his complaint.

The high court had earlier asked the Centre and Delhi Police to inform it about the system adopted in assessing the threat perception of an individual seeking security.
Khetan had also sought framing of guidelines to be adopted by probe agencies for dealing with such complaints.
The Supreme Court had earlier refused to interfere in the matter and transferred the plea to the high court.
The AAP leader's counsel had said neither the police nor its chief had responded to his complaint despite Khetan having a rank of a cabinet minister. Nobody had given him a hearing, he had said.

"All I am asking is that these threats should be investigated. Such threats are coming due to the atmosphere nowadays," the petition has said.
Khetan had moved the apex court on May 24 and sought protection alleging threats.
He had said that on May 9, he received a threat letter written in Hindi at his office stating that his death was imminent.
"The language and content of this letter is similar to the threatening article published by Sanatan Prabhat against Narendra Dabholkar, both before and after he was killed.
"The threat is a chilling reminder of the growing confidence of the anti-national and fascist forces who want to exterminate all dissenting voices," the plea has alleged.

Khetan, who is the vice chairman of the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi, had sought a ban on right- wing organisation, Sanatan Sanstha, and a CBI probe monitored by the court into the alleged death threat.