40 under lens for attack on CM's residence, more arrests likely in a week: Cops

According to an officer privy to the matter, five teams who are working on the case obtained the video footage from all available sources, and identified the 40 suspects

At least 40 people have been identified in connection with the vandalism that took place at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in North Delhi’s Civil Lines on March 30, and arrests are likely to be made within a week’s time, a senior police officer said. Eight people have already been arrested in the case.

A view of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s house, vandalised by BJYM workers during a protest last week. (Sourced/ Twitter)

According to an officer privy to the matter, five teams who are working on the case obtained the video footage from all available sources, and identified the 40 suspects. “We covered all the CCTVs starting from Civil Lines Police Station to the CM’s residence, across the length and breadth of the road, and all the videos available on social media to ascertain the identity of the men. Over 55 videos have been analysed. Nearly 40 persons have been identified, and they’re being called to join investigation,” the officer said.

The officer added that “action will be taken against all those who incited and indulged in vandalism and violence”.

As part of the probe, statements have been recorded of those who were present at the spot at the time of the incident, the officer said.

On March 30, around 200 members of Bhartiya Janata Party’s youth wing Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) staged a protest outside Kejriwal’s residence against his remarks on the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ during a speech in the Delhi assembly.

Led by BJYM president and BJP MP from Bangalore South Tejasvi Surya the protesters clashed with the police, jumped the barricades and reached up to the main gate of the CM’s residence. The protesters allegedly threw paint on the main gate, broke a boom barrier and damaged a CCTV installed there.

Addressing a press conference after the protest, Surya said, “He (Kejriwal) mocked and called the massacre of Kashmiri Pandits untrue (in Vidhan Sabha). We demand unconditional apology from him and until he issues an apology our protests will continue.”

“This protest is not to favour a movie or regarding the ‘The Kashmir Files’. This protest is against the inhuman mindset of Kejriwal who denies the Hindu genocide in Kashmir,” Surya said.

The Aam Aadmi Party, however, alleged that it was plot to assassinate Kejriwal.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said the AAP’s victory in the Punjab assembly has left the BJP flustered. “As it could not defeat Arvind Kejriwal in the Punjab polls, the BJP now wants to kill him (hatya karna chahta hai). Today’s attack on the chief minister’s house shows that the BJP, with the help of police, wants to kill Kejriwal. We will lodge a formal complaint against this,” Sisodia said.

He added that the “life-threatening attack” on Kejriwal was “properly planned”.

Delhi Police registered a case under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) apart from Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDP) Act (mischief causing damage to public property) of the Indian Penal Code.

On March 31, police arrested eight persons in connection with the case who were identified as Chandrakant (27), Pradeep Tiwari (27), Raju Singh (28), Jitender Bisht (40), Naveen Kumar (38), Bablu Kumar (35), Neeraj Dixit (25) and Sunny (21) -- all members of BJYM.

The BJYM had sought permission from police regarding the event but the permission was denied, police said.

Slamming the police last Friday, the Delhi high court said the security outside Kejriwal’s residence was inadequate at the time it was vandalised by the protesters and it directed the city police to submit a status report of the investigation into the violence.

A bench of acting chief justice Vipin Sanghi and justice Navin Chawla called the crowd “unruly”, and said that it was evident the protesters were trying to create an element of fear.

“It was an unruly crowd. We have seen the video. Some people tried to climb over the gate. They did not succeed. Probably it was not their intent also. Some of those in crowd have taken law-and-order into their hand. And there’s definitely an element of fear which has been sought to be created, that is evident. The police force was probably inadequate, you’ll have to answer that... At least those who were there, they were trying to prevent it. Probably they were outnumbered. You’ll have to explain what kind of intimation you had and what kind of threat perception was there about this kind of incident taking place,” the court said.