Accused in AAP worker suicide held
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police crime branch special investigation team (SIT) porbing the AAP volunteer suicide case arrested Ramesh Bhardwaj on Wednesday.
The victim had accused Bhardwaj of torturing and harassing her for sexual favours.
Bhardwaj, the prime suspect in the case, was arrested from Sonepat in Haryana, police said. He is said to be a close associate of AAP’s Narela MLA, Sharad Chauhan.
On Wednesday, the SIT questioned the Narela legislator in the case after investigators served him a notice asking him to join probe, police said.
Investigators questioned Chauhan about his alleged links with Bhardwaj and two other alleged AAP workers – Amit Kumar and Rajini Kanth – who were accused by the woman of forcing her to withdraw her complaint against Bhardwaj.
In her dying declaration video shot on a mobile phone, the AAP volunteer had named Bhardwaj, Kumar and Kanth for allegedly abetting her to take the extreme step.
The police are planning to issue a notice to AAP convener, Dilip Pandey, to record his statement in the case. Police said the woman had alleged that Pandey was among persons who had dissuaded her from filing the FIR.
FAMILY MEETS NCW
The woman’s family on Wednesday met National Commission for Women (NCW) officials and told them she was asked to make “compromises with her body” if she wanted to rise in the party.
“She was told you should stop loving your body so much and compromise, ” NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said.