Delhi Police refuse to join magisterial probe

New Delhi, April 23
Delhi Police on Thursday refused to join the magisterial probe ordered by the Delhi government into a farmer's suicide at AAP rally here on Wednesday, saying that the designated officer did not have jurisdiction in the matter.

"We have written a letter saying that he (the district magistrate) has no jurisdiction," Delhi Police chief B.S. Bassi told the media here.

Bassi also said that the preliminary medical report based on autopsy of Gajendra Singh, who committed suicide at the Aam Aadmi Partgy rally at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday, revealed that the cause of his death was hanging.

The Delhi government headed by the AAP on Wednesday asked district magistrate of New Delhi to probe the suicide.

Singh hanged himself from a tree during the rally.

New Delhi district Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Singh has written a letter to New Delhi's District Magistrat that an FIR has been registered and police were probing the case.

"Kindly refer to your letter dated 22.04.2015 regarding death of one person on 22.04.2015 at Jantar Mantar during the Aam Aadmi Party rally. In this regard, it is informed that the incident quoted by you is the subject matter of the case FIR registered at PS Parliament Street. Therefore, you have no jurisdiction regarding this matter," the letter said.

Replying to a volley of questions from reporters about the possibility of AAP leaders being questioned in the case, Bassi said that a thorough probe will be conducted and all necessary steps will be taken.

He said that information about the probe will be shared with the media at the right time.

Earlier in the day, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that the investigation into the suicide of a farmer from Rajasthan at an AAP rally had been handed over to the Crime Branch and Delhi Police.

Rajnath Singh said according to information given by Delhi Police, Gajendra Singh climbed the tree with a broom and hanged himself and police called fire brigade so that they could climb up the tree.

The police also asked people present there not to applaud and instigate the man, Singh added.