AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal alleges shots fired at event in south Delhi

Jarwal, the MLA from Deoli assembly constituency, blamed associates of a local politician of carrying out the alleged shooting in which no one was hurt.

Aam Aadmi Party legislator Prakash Jarwal has alleged that three shots were fired in the air while he was inaugurating a water pipeline in south Delhi’s Sangam Vihar Wednesday morning, an allegation the police said was unsubstantiated.

Aam Aadmi Party MLA Prakash Jarwal speaks to media persons before heading to the Neb Sarai Police Station to file a complaint alleging that shots were fired at him on Wednesday during a public event in South Delhi's Shani Bazaar area, at Sangam Vihar in New Delhi. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

Jarwal, the MLA from Deoli assembly constituency, blamed associates of a local politician of carrying out the alleged shooting in which no one was hurt. “He targeted me because I have been opposing his criminal activities,” Jarwal alleged.

Vijay Kumar, deputy commissioner of police (south), said that there was “no evidence of any firing”. “We have checked the CCTV footage and questioned people present at the event, but they did not support the allegations,” the DCP said.

The officer said that Jarwal’s complaint has been taken and investigations are ongoing.

The MLA said the politician had first confronted him on Sunday while he was inaugurating a drain in the same neighbourhood. “He had arrived with two dozen men carrying pistols and heckled me and my supporters,” Jarwal claimed.

Jarwal said he had complained to the police, but no action was taken.

“At 11am Wednesday, I was in the midst of hundreds of people to inaugurate a water pipeline near a police post in Sangam Vihar when the man again arrived with his supporters. When the people tried to shoo them away, his associates fired three rounds in the air and fled the spot,” the MLA said.

An investigator, not authorised to speak to the media, said the man named by Jarwal was picked up for questioning.

“The person has acknowledged that he was at the spot, but no shot was fired,” the officer said.

The DCP said the suspect is a local man with a host of criminal cases against him. “He was earlier involved in smuggling illicit liquor into north-east areas of Delhi. Of late, he is trying to make a foray into politics,” the DCP said.