A Delhi court has sent the accused, who assaulted Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her residence during a 'Jan Sunvai,' to five days of police remand, said the Delhi Police. The accused has been identified as 41-year-old Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakariya, a resident of Gujarat's Rajkot was arrested from the spot immediately after the attack.
He was produced in a Tis Hazari Court from Civil Lines Police Station late on Wednesday evening, which sent him to a five-day police remand.
The Chief Minister was attacked during a 'Jan Sunwai' programme at her camp office on Wednesday morning. Her office termed the assault as part of a "well-planned conspiracy to kill her".
Attempt to murder charge filed against accused
Delhi Police have registered an attempt to murder case against the accused person. A case under Sections 109(1), 132 and 221 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered against him at Civil Lines Police Station.
It is to be noted here that accused Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakariya is a known history-sheeter with several criminal cases registered against him in Rajkot's Bhaktinagar Police Station records.
As per the information, teams of the Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police Special Cell are interrogating the accused Sakariya in connection with the attack.
A senior police official, who is privy to the probe, said that it was a serious attack, adding that it could have been life-threatening. "We are doing a joint interrogation with the IB, Special Cell and intelligence agencies. He had five criminal cases, including two assault cases involving a knife attack and three under the Excise Act," the official told news agency PTI.
Sources revealed that Sakariya arrived in Delhi from Rajkot by train on Tuesday morning and stayed at the Gujarati Bhawan in Civil Lines. During a phone conversation with a friend in Gujarat, he mentioned that he had reached the CM's residence in Shalimar Bagh. Delhi Police sources further added that the accused has no relatives lodged in jail, and he did not carry any complaint letter or document with him when he went to the CM's residence, as speculated earlier.
MHA to review Delhi CM's security cover
Police sources said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to review the security arrangements of CM Gupta after a detailed report of the incident is submitted by the police. CM Gupta was accorded 'Z' category security of the Delhi Police. This is as per the security guidelines of the MHA outlined in the 'Yellow Book', which details protection protocols for VIPs and VVIPs. Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said this is not an ordinary attack, adding that the attacker tried to "push the Chief Minister down on the ground and beat her".
Meanwhile, CM Gupta said that the attack on her was a 'cowardly attempt not just on her but on her commitment to serve the people of the capital' and asserted that it has not broken her spirit. "The assault during the Jan Sunwai was not merely on me but on our resolve to work for the welfare of Delhi," she added.
Gupta admitted she was initially shaken by the incident but assured supporters that she is now feeling much better. Requesting well-wishers not to trouble themselves by visiting her, she said she would soon be back among the people and working as before.
(With agencies input)
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