Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Vikaspuri MLA Mahinder Yadav and four others were arrested on Friday. They were held, following allegations of rioting during a protest, demanding action against an alleged sexual offender.
Citing apathy and lapses, a group led by Mr. Yadav and including family members of the victim had staged a protest outside the Nihal Vihar police station on Thursday.
He, along with his aides, had been detained from the spot and subsequently booked under legal provisions pertaining to rioting, arson, assault on public servant, wrongful restraint and damage to public property before being formally arrested.
On the specific allegations against Mr. Yadav, a senior police officer said he had incited the mob and tried to set a vehicle to fire.
Following the arrest, all accused had been produced at the Tis Hazari court where all, except Mr. Yadav, were granted bail. The MLA was remanded to one day police custody, which was sought on the grounds that other accused had to be identified.
On Thursday, Joint Commissioner of Police (South Western Range) Deependra Pathak had dismissed the charges and accused that a political colour was being given to the incident. After the arrest, Mr. Pathak added that all necessary actions had been taken.
“While the accused was arrested by evening, much before the crowd gathered there, a rumour was floated that the police has refused to arrest,” said Mr. Pathak.
The incident, which fuelled the protest was the sexual assault of a two-year-old girl by a family acquaintance at his rented accommodation in West Delhi’s Nihal Vihar on Wednesday.
The accused Gautam assaulted the child when her parents were at work, said her uncle. The police, on the other hand, say the accused had been staying with the girl’s family.
The protesters on Thursday blocked traffic claiming the police had not provided a copy of the FIR to the victim. Several persons have been detained for rioting following the protests.
The incident, which fuelled the protest was the sexual assault of a two-year-old girl by a family acquaintance
