Cops raid Kejri house, seize CCTV footage

New Delhi: The Delhi police on Friday ‘swooped’ on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence and seized hard disks containing recordings of 21 CCTV cameras in connection with the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by AAP MLAs on Monday night.

A Delhi police team, including cybercrime and forensics experts, had reached the CM’s residence on Friday morning to collect evidence related to the alleged incident. Reacting to the police search for evidence, Kejriwal wrote on Twitter that his council of ministers had sought an appointment with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal. 

“A huge posse of policemen was sent to my residence. The entire CM residence is being searched over allegations of two slaps. But when will Amit Shah be questioned in connection with Judge Loya’s death,” he tweeted. Speaking at a public meeting later in the day, the CM also said, “If you say anything to officers, they get upset. 

I fight for you but these people - BJP, L-G, officers - obstruct me. I fight but for people.” The Delhi police had registered an FIR on Tuesday against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan and others on complaint of chief secretary Anshu Prakash. The chief secretary had alleged that he was assaulted by AAP MLAs during a meeting at Kejriwal’s official residence on Monday night.

Harender Singh, additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, said all the 21 cameras found at the CM’s residence were slow by 40 minutes and 42 seconds. “The complaint says the assault happened between 12 midnight and 12.30am on Tuesday,” Singh said. The footage of one CCTV camera showed the chief secretary leaving CM’s residence around 11.30pm on Monday.

The additional DCP said the visit to the CM’s residence was carried out after informing the people in-charge of the maintenance of the place. He denied reports that the CM was forced to sit for 40 minutes. “We haven’t even interacted with the Chief Minister,” the officer said.

He said that 7 CCTV cameras were not switched on when police found them. “Our forensic team will be able to say when, and under what circumstances, the recording was stopped,” he said.

Singh also said the police examined the room where the alleged assault happened to ensure it had not been repaired, repainted or any previous CCTV cameras had not been removed. He said the corridor outside the alleged crime spot had cameras and the footage will be examined to check the movement of people before and after the alleged assault. The personnel responsible for maintenance of CCTVs were also questioned by the cops.

The officer said police were compelled to visit the CM’s residence after investigators’ attempts to seek CCTV footage on February 20 were met with no response.

As the police team reached the CM’s residence, Delhi government spokesperson Arunoday Prakash called the search an attempt to humiliate the CM. “There is minimum courtesy in democracy. Every citizen has rights under constitution. Is it an attempt to humiliate a CM who is working tirelessly for the poor and the last man of the society?” he tweeted.

AAP spokesperson Dilip Pandey said the Kejriwal government was being targeted by the BJP at the Centre. “The whole house (CM residence) was turned into a fortress to investigate the allegations of two slaps. But no action has been taken over attack on AAP leaders despite evidence. What else does one need to prove that BJP is selectively targeting Kejriwal government,” he said.