Kejriwal, Sisodia to be charged in chief secretary assault case
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will be charged this or the next week for the alleged assault of Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, police said today. He will be charged for 'criminal conspiracy,' sources told HT. An official added Deputy CM Manish Sisodia will also be charged. Earlier today, forensic experts reported a time lag of 40 minutes on the CCTV cameras in his house.
About the alleged Anshu Prakash assault case
Prakash, Delhi Chief Secretary, says he was summoned by Kejriwal on February 19 to discuss some schemes. But AAP lawmakers Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal allegedly abused and manhandled him in front of the CM. AAP termed the allegations "ludicrous," adding Prakash had refused to answer questions by MLAs and Kejriwal, and used "bad language." It also accused BJP of creating obstacles for AAP.
CCTV footage discrepancies, contradictory statements: Several twists in the case
The case was marred by twists. First, Delhi Police found discrepancies in CCTV footage from Kejriwal's home. Prakash's entry and exit was seen to be between 11:24pm and 11:31pm, in contradiction to Kejriwal's advisor VK Jain's statement that he had arrived past midnight. There was confusion even about his statement: police said he had detailed the 'assault,' but AAP claimed he was under police-pressure.
Two arrests and a resignation
Two AAP MLAs were arrested for the crime - Prakash Jarwal and Amanatullah Khan. Both were granted bail in a few days. Meanwhile, less than 20 days after reportedly testifying against AAP leaders, Jain resigned citing "personal reasons and family commitment."
Forensic report confirms 40-minute time lag in CCTV footage
Kejriwal, who wasn't named as an accused, has also been questioned in the case twice. His home too has been searched. Meanwhile, forensic reports have confirmed a time lag of 40 minutes in the CCTV cameras at his house on the day of the alleged attack. However, it doesn't mention whether the device was tampered with or if the clock was set like this from before.
Prakash's alleged assault triggered a nine-day faceoff in Delhi
The Prakash case recently led to a nine-day faceoff between the Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. Four AAP leaders including Kejriwal camped at his office for nine days, alleging IAS officers weren't attending meetings post the alleged incident. After initially denying his allegations of a 'strike,' officers later admitted they were skipping meetings with ministers due to "threat to their life."
