Delhi: Ex-Congress MLA held after video shows him beating up civic staff

A video of Khan purportedly forcing the four employees of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation to squat as they are kicked and verbally abused was widely circulated on social media platforms

New Delhi: Former Congress MLA Asif Mohammed Khan was arrested on Saturday after a video surfaced online purportedly showing him allegedly abusing and assaulting municipal corporation workers for removing illegal posters and hoardings from the road outside his office.

Deputy commissioner of police (south-east) Esha Pandey said an FIR was registered at the Shaheen Bagh police station. (Picture for representation only)

A video of Khan purportedly forcing the four employees of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to squat as they are kicked and verbally abused was widely circulated on social media platforms.

HT could not independently confirm the authenticity of the video but Delhi Police issued a statement confirming the arrest. Deputy commissioner of police (south-east) Esha Pandey said an inspector of the South MCD’s Lajpat Nagar zone had filed a complaint on Friday, after which police registered an FIR at the Shaheen Bagh police station. “Khan was thereafter arrested, investigation is progressing,” she said.

The inspector told police that on Friday, a four-member team of MCD officers were removing illegal posters, billboards and advertisements in Kalindi Kunj and Shaheen Bagh, and were removing political posters outside the legislator’s office when they were allegedly stopped by Khan and his associates. The complainant alleged that the team was taken to Khan’s office nearby where they were forced to squat and assaulted.

Khan, former Congress MLA from the Okhla constituency between 2009 and 2013, has been booked under Indian Penal Code sections related to stopping public servants from doing their duty, using criminal force and hurting them.

SDMC mayor Mukesh Suryan too confirmed that Khan assaulted the civic staff who were removing illegal banner hoardings. “I have directed the department to file FIR against the former MLA and take legal action against him. I will soon visit the site where the harassment took place. The corporation will remove all the encroachments in the area. I want to appeal to all SDMC officials not to be intimidated by such people and keep working,” Suryan said.

A senior SDMC official said police have contacted the corporation and asked the four employees to join investigation. “We will fully cooperate with the police,” he said.

Delhi Congress did not respond to requests seeking comment.

According to the Delhi Outdoor Advertising Policy, 2017, no advertisement is allowed in residential areas. Further, according to the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property (DPDC) Act, defacement is a punishable offence with imprisonment for up to six months or a fine up to ₹50,000.