Headlines
Delhi law minister arrested, AAP cries foul
New Delhi, June 9
In a dramatic escalation of
the row between the central and AAP governments, Delhi Law Minister
Jitender Singh Tomar was arrested here Tuesday over his alleged fake law
degree. The AAP cried foul and linked it with its anti-corruption
campaign.
Delhi Police, which does not report to the AAP
government but to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and the union home ministry,
told IANS that Tomar was arrested on charges of cheating, criminal
conspiracy and forgery.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which took power in
Delhi in February, accused police of roughing up Tomar. Delhi assembly
Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said he wasn't informed about the arrest.
Deputy
Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused Lt. Governor Jung of unleashing
an "Emergency-like situation" and said vested interests were ganging up
against the AAP government because of its anti-corruption campaign. The
AAP, he vowed, won't be cowed down.
A visibly livid Sisodia said
although the issue of Tomar's alleged fake degree was in the court,
about 40 policemen swooped on Tomar's office early in the morning and
took him away as if he was a fugitive.
"The police told Tomar
they had come to see some documents... They asked him to accompany them
to his house. On the way they told his driver to get off and took charge
of his vehicle and told him he was being detained.
"They told Tomar that he could ask someone to bring the documents to the police station...
"What
is going on?" asked Sisodia. "Was he (Tomar) running away? Did he
explode bombs in Delhi? There is an allegation (against him). The matter
is in the court. What was the need to arrest him?"
Sisodia
added: "There is something wrong... This arrest is illegal. There is an
Emergency-like situation. This is supposed to be a democracy... Maybe it
is an attempt to teach the AAP a lesson (for what we are doing)."
AAP
supporters, including Tomar's family members, gathered in large numbers
at the Vasant Vihar police station in south Delhi where Tomar was being
questioned.
Tuesday's arrest peaked a simmering row between the
central and AAP governments over the powers of the Delhi government
over the posting and transfer of senior officials. This dispute too is
also now facing judicial scrutiny.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said police arrested Tomar without giving any notice.
"If
the case relates to a fake degree, will ministers Smriti Irani and Ram
Shanker Katheria (of BJP) will also be taken to police station without
any prior notice?" Singh asked.
Tomar told CNN-IBN that he didn't
know why he was arrested. "Around 30-40 policemen asked me to accompany
me to the police station without any prior notice."
He said this was done to tarnish the AAP's image.
Delhi Police said Tomar would be produced in a court later on Tuesday.
Two
cases are pending against Tomar in the Delhi High Court, alleging he
enrolled himself as an advocate on the basis of a fake law degree and
seeking cancellation of his election. Tomar says his degree is genuine.
The
Congress took potshot at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, demanding his
resignation as the Tomar episode had punctured his claims of ushering in
clean politics. It also sought Tomar's resignation from the assembly.