Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from west Delhi’s Vikaspuri constituency Mahendra Yadav has been arrested by the Delhi Police in a case of rioting, damaging public property and stopping public servants from performing duties.
Police claimed Yadav led a violent protest last evening in Nihal Vihar area in West Delhi following sexual assault on a three-year-old girl and the mob even attacked public vehicles and tried to set a vehicle on fire.
The protesters demanded immediate arrest of the 38-year-old accused alleging that police was not pursuing the case promptly though Joint Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Dependra Pathak on Friday claimed that the alleged culprit was arrested much before the protest.
Yadav is the sixth AAP legislator to be arrested. Earlier MLAs Akhilesh Tripathi, Somnath Bharti, Commando Surinder Singh, Manoj Kumar and former law minister Jitender Singh Tomar were arrested on various charges. “A case was registered last night and the MLA was arrested around 12 noon today under charges of rioting, arson, assault on public servant, wrongful restraint and damage to public property,” Pathak said.
He claimed the protesters at Nihal Vihar area even manhandled a police team which had tried to pacify the agitators. “While the accused was arrested by evening, much before the crowd gathered there, somebody floated a rumour that the police has refused to arrest him, leading to the agitation,” said Pathak. While Yadav has been arrested, several others have been detained at the police station, he said.
Reacting to Yadav’s arrest, AAP’s Delhi Convener Dilip Pandey tweeted, “Delhi Police busy again arresting AAP MLA instead of ensuring Delhi women safety despite multiple warnings from courts.” “MLA Mahendra Yadav arrested, for what? He was there where public was protesting against rape of a girl child? Is it wrong to ask for justice?” he said.
He was produced before the Tis Hazari court, which sent him to one day police custody.
