Police conniving with BJP, ‘asking’ AAP members to close cases: Atishi to ECI

Delhi chief minister Atishi has shot off a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that instead of taking action on the threat, intimidation and abuse complaints, the police were approaching AAP volunteers to close the cases against BJP members.

In a letter to the poll panel on 22 January, Wednesday, she claimed that investigating officers (IOs) Jai Bhagwan and Sushil Sharma met AAP volunteers Vijeta, Rekha Bassi and Deepa Deol and dictated statements to them claiming that no violence or intimidation took place and pressurised them to sign those statements. Alleging that police were acting in connivance and trying to close the complaint against BJP workers without proper investigation, she said AAP volunteers were ready to give written statements in the presence of their advocate.

However, the police were forcing the volunteers to sign incomplete and false statements, she alleged.

Chief minister Atishi claimed that the police officers tore up the statements when AAP volunteers objected.

Alleging collusion on the parts of both the local SHO and the IOs, she requested that Govindpuri SHO Dharamveer and investigating officers Sushil Sharma and Jai Bhagwan be transferred from assembly constituency number no. 51.

She also demanded a probe of the South Delhi parliamentary constituency where Ramesh Bidhuri has been MP for 10 years, to be undertaken by police officials who have never been posted in the area .

This is Atishi's second letter to the poll panel this week. On Tuesday, 21 January, she said AAP workers and volunteers were being abused, intimidated and threatened by the BJP workers in Kalkaji's Govindpuri area.

In her complaint to the ECI, Atishi also named BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri for his alleged insulting and derogatory remarks against her. She also claimed that several AAP volunteers — Rakha Bassi, Sanjay Gupta, Aradhna, Sumita Pandey, Sher Singh and Hari Shankar Gupta — were being intimidated by BJP workers.