AAP-led Delhi govt looks to “fix” police, Arvind Kejriwal to meet Sushilkumar Shinde

New Delhi: Chaos prevailed at the press conference organised by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government after its leaders' met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Friday.

During the presser, AAP leader Manish Sisodia told media not to act like a spokesperson of the Delhi police, with which his party is mired in a row over the suspension of four cops. Notably, the Delhi Police, earlier in the day, submitted a report to Jung, complaining about the "interfering" behaviour of two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers - Women and Child Welfare Minister Rakhi Birla, Law Minister Somnath Bharti - in police investigation.

The comment made by the Urban Development Minister and Education Minister infuriated the reporters, who had questioned him about the AAP's demand for suspension of three SHOs and one ACP against whom the party complained.

The LG is conducting a high-level inquiry into the matter, said Sisodia, after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Police Commissioner BS Bassi met at Jung's official residence, where Birla and Bharti were also present. A retired judge, BL Garg, will enquire into the matter. He has been asked to submit the report within 30 days, a report said.

Sisodia also ruled out any action against Law Minister Somanth Bharti, who revealed the Danish rape victim’s identity.

Sisodia said the government wanted the four officials suspended until an inquiry ordered on Friday by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung into the policemen's conduct got over.

"Their suspension is necessary, otherwise there will be a problem in the inquiry," Sisodia told the media.

"Our government won't keep quiet. This is not Sheila Dikshit's government. The government has changed. We will take action whether or not Delhi Police is under us," he said.

Sisodia, the de facto number two in the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, said a government delegation led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called on the Lt Governor and pressed for the suspension.

According to the minister, while Jung said he won't suspend anyone, Police Commissioner BS Bassi said suspending the men "now will be difficult".

Sisodia said an AAP delegation will now take the demand to Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde at 5:30 pm.

Sisodia denied charges of vigilantism hurled against two Delhi ministers - Somnath Bharti and Rakhi Birla.

Late Wednesday, Bharti had a heated tiff with Delhi Police officials when he on his own initiative raided a house in south Delhi on suspicion that a narcotics and sex den was being run by some foreign nationals from the premises.

Bharti made a call to police from outside the house around midnight.

Police after arriving at the spot refused to search the house stating that they did not have a search warrant.

Bharti argued with the police officials demanding that they raid the house. He later left the spot complaining that police did not heed the minister's bidding.

However, police said Bharti wanted them to raid the place without a warrant. The minister wanted them to question women at night, which is not permitted under law. Also, the reports of those taken for medico-legal examination came out to be negative.

The other minister against whom Delhi Police complained is Women and Child Development Minister Rakhi Birla.

Birla had gone to Safdarjung Hospital on Wednesday night to meet a 24-year-old woman who was allegedly set on fire by her in-laws.

Birla alleged that when she went to meet the station house officer of Sagarpur police station in west Delhi, to find out details of the case, the officer was missing.

Birla said she had spoken on phone with the officer from Safdarjung Hospital and told him she was coming to meet him. However, when she reached the police station, the officer had left as his duty hours were over.

The inspector who had come as duty replacement declined to go with her to the burnt woman's house in the area.

On Thursday evening, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference with Bharti and Birla sitting alongside him. He demanded that action be taken against police officials in both the cases.

Speaking more like an activist he was, Kejriwal called the Delhi Police "highly compromised" and demanded the suspension of four officers for allegedly refusing to act against sex and drug gangs and the burning of a woman.

"We are demanding ... we are warning Delhi Police," Kejriwal told the media, using unusually harsh language for a chief minister. "Delhi Police is highly compromised."

He demanded the suspension of the station house officers (SHO) of Sagarpur and Malviya Nagar police stations and two assistant commissioners of police.

The comment followed the gang-rape of a Danish woman in Delhi. The woman was assaulted near the New Delhi railway station.

As Delhi is not a full-fledged state, Delhi Police does not report to the city government. It is controlled by the Union Home Ministry.

source - Zeenews