Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar was arrested on Tuesday on charges of allegedly submitting forged law degree while filing his nomination for the assembly polls, in a move that triggered an angry reaction from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and triggered another bout of confrontation between the Centre and the Arvind Kejriwal government.
The AAP government accused lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung of unleashing an "emergency-like situation". Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia told the media that even though the issue of the alleged fake degree is still being examined by a court, about 40 policemen swooped on Tomar's office and took him away as if he is a fugitive.
An RTI reply had in April revealed that Tomar's undergraduate degree was fake just days after a Bihar-based university told the Delhi high court a provisional certificate he used to enrol as a lawyer was fabricated. A team of the Delhi Police recently went to a Bhagalpur university to probe Tomar's law degree.
The minister's arrest came at a time when the Arvind Kejriwal government is embroiled in a tussle with the Centre and both side moving court over the division of powers.
"The police told Tomar they had come to see some documents...They asked him to accompany them to his house. On the way, they told his driver to get off and took charge of his vehicle and told him he was being detained,” said a livid Sisodia.
"What is going on? Was he (Tomar) running away? Did he explode bombs in Delhi? There is an allegation (against him). The matter is in the court. What was the need to arrest him?"
An FIR was reportedly filed after a complaint by the Bar Council of Delhi. A case of cheating, forgery and criminal intimidation was filed against him, police said.
"What is going on? Was he (Tomar) running away? Did he explode bombs in Delhi? There is an allegation (against him). The matter is in the court. What was the need to arrest him?"
An FIR was reportedly filed after a complaint by the Bar Council of Delhi. A case of cheating, forgery and criminal intimidation was filed against him, police said.
“Action has been taken as per the prescribed process,” Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi told reporters. Tomar was taken to the Vasant Vihar police station for questioning.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh ruled out any intervention by his ministry.
“There is no question of MHA's interference in any matter, the law takes its course,” he said.
Expelled AAP member Yogendra Yadav contended the “real issue” was the party’s apparent lack of transparency and not Tomar’s arrest.
"The real issue is not technicalities of Tomar's arrest; that's for courts to decide. Issue here is govt's and party's refusal to come clean," tweeted Yadav, who was ejected from the AAP for questioning decisions made by party chief Arvind Kejriwal.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh ruled out any intervention by his ministry.
“There is no question of MHA's interference in any matter, the law takes its course,” he said.
Expelled AAP member Yogendra Yadav contended the “real issue” was the party’s apparent lack of transparency and not Tomar’s arrest.
"The real issue is not technicalities of Tomar's arrest; that's for courts to decide. Issue here is govt's and party's refusal to come clean," tweeted Yadav, who was ejected from the AAP for questioning decisions made by party chief Arvind Kejriwal.
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