Assault on Delhi CS: Two AAP MLAs sent in judicial custody till Thursday (Third Lead)

A Delhi court on Wednesday sent two Aam Aadmi Party MLAs, who allegedly assaulted Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, in judicial custody till Thursday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Shefali Barnala Tandon refused a Delhi Police plea for police custody of MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal and said their bail pleas will be taken up on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Chief Secretary alleged that he was beaten up by Khan and another MLA in the presence of Arvind Kejriwal at the Chief Minister's residence here on Monday night, where he had been called for a meeting.

While Jarwal was arrested on Tuesday night, Khan surrendered at a police station here on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's adviser V.K. Jain was questioned by police at the Civil Lines police station and let off.

The alleged assault on the top bureaucrat triggered a political storm, with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding Kejriwal's resignation and the Congress seeking his apology.

The AAP hit back by accusing the Chief Secretary of making false allegations and said he was working at the "behest of the BJP".

The Home Ministry sought a report from Lt Governor Anil Baijal as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was "deeply pained" by the development. The L-G has since submitted a report on the issue to the Home Ministry.

A body representing the bureaucrats said they will not meet or talk over phone with the Chief Minister or his Ministers or party MLAs till Kejriwal apologised and took action.

On Tuesday afternoon, Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain was manhandled inside the Delhi Secretariat by a crowd protesting against the alleged assault.

Hussain's Assistant Personal Secretary was beaten up, according to multiple video clips from the Secretariat.

On Wednesday, Hussain met Lt Governor Anil Baijal, after which informed sources told IANS that Baijal assured he would talk to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik about the issue.

A separate FIR has been registered based on Hussain's complaint.

--IANS

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