Man, who slapped Pawar, sent to Tihar Jail

A small-time transporter, who slapped Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar days after assaulting former telecom minister Sukhram, was sent today to Tihar Jail by a Delhi court.

A small-time transporter, who slapped Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar days after assaulting former telecom minister Sukhram, was sent today to Tihar Jail by a Delhi court.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jasjeet Kaur remanded 27-year-old Harvinder Singh in judicial custody till December 9 after Delhi Police produced him in the court amidst tight security.

He has been charged with assaulting Pawar, a public servant, and threatening him yesterday, besides trying to kill himself by slashing his wrist with his small 'kirpan'.

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Activists of NCP, led by 71-year-old Pawar, shouted slogans and blocked traffic outside Patiala House court premises and even tried to assault the accused later.

Singh was remanded in judicial custody after police pleaded that he has become "a threat to the society" and should not be released.

Singh showed no remorse and shouted slogans like "Bhagat Singh Zindabad, Rajguru Zindabad" in the courtroom. He also said he would want to repeat what he did.

Later, when police was escorting him to Patiala House court lock-up after the court order, around 25 NCP supporters tried to assault him. The police, however, managed to take him away him to the lock-up.

Police officials persuaded the NCP supporters, who slogans like 'Sharad Pawar zindabad', to leave the court premises.

The NCP activists blocked traffic at India Gate near the court premises for about 10 minutes but were dispersed by police.

During the court proceedings, Singh refused to engage any lawyer to defend himself saying he has no hope from the government.

Singh had assaulted Pawar when he was coming out of a literary function at a public auditorium on Parliament Street, claiming to protest against price rise and corruption.

Singh had assaulted Sukhram outside a court last Saturday after he was sentenced to five years in jail in a 1996 corruption case.

Private security guards had overpowered Singh after he had assaulted the minister. The offences he has been accused of were non-bailable, lawyers said.