The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has expressed grave concern over the shocking arrest of a businessman who had filed an FIR against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Jitender Mahajan. A fortnight ago, the said businessman had accused the BJP MLA of demanding an exorbitant sum of 2 crore rupees as extortion and resorting to violence, including opening gunfire at him. AAP has demanded swift justice in the matter and the immediate arrest of MLA Jitender Mahajan who was present during the arrest with a group of his accomplices.
In a press conference on Thursday, AAP Senior Leader and MLA Shri Durgesh Pathak stated, “The recent arrest of a complainant instead of the accused BJP MLA reveals an unprecedented, dangerous trend and has sent shockwaves through the capital. Instead of investigating the allegations and taking appropriate action against the accused MLA, the Delhi Police arrested the complainant instead in the presence of the accused MLA and his accomplices and took the complainant away in a private vehicle.”
Explaining the sequence of events, Shri Durgesh Pathak said that two business associates filed complaints on March 28, 2023, at Jyoti Nagar Police Station against Jitender Mahajan, the incumbent MLA of Rohtas Nagar Assembly of North East Delhi, implicating him with serious charges. The FIRs not only accused him of demanding a staggering extortion of 2 crore rupees but his goons also later opened gunfire at the businessmen. Shri Durgesh Pathak noted, “The incident gained widespread coverage in the media, exposing how a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA resorted to violence against businessmen who refused to pay hefty extortion money. In such a scenario, it was the responsibility of the Delhi police to summon Jitender Mahajan, the MLA against whom these allegations were raised, gather evidence about the allegations, and proceed with necessary legal actions. However, instead of investigating and taking action against the accused MLA, the police arrested the complainant instead and put him behind bars, which is unprecedented in Delhi and alarming. The neighbouring shopkeepers have lodged an FIR after the arrest, providing video evidence of the incident in which Jitender Mahajan and his accomplices unlawfully apprehended the businessman in question. The alarming turn of events raises serious questions about the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi, as well as the impartiality and independence of the police force.”
Shri Durgesh Pathak said, “Such incidents were previously witnessed in movies like “Gangaajal,” where individuals striving to expose corruption and other crimes by politicians were either silenced or falsely implicated in counter-FIRs and put behind bars themselves. It is disheartening to realize that in 2023, such regressive practices are happening in the national capital. It is unprecedented but very revealing that in Delhi that a person who dared to raise his voice against a BJP member is being thrown behind bars by the Delhi police. This incident emphasises that law and order in Delhi under the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena has completely collapsed. This incident exemplifies the compromised credibility and impartiality of the Delhi Police, highlighting the intertwined dynamics between their functioning and the BJP’s dictates.”
Video footage from a CCTV camera outside the arrested businessman’s medical store depicts the BJP MLA, along with a group of 10-15 individuals in civilian clothing, allegedly his associates, forcibly entering the complainant’s medical shop and escorting him out of the shop. Another video footage from a mobile device shows the apprehended businessperson being forcibly put into a private vehicle, with loud threats being made against him. A Delhi Police (Crime Branch) officer was also present in the group and the incident is being called an arrest now.
Sharing the videos of the alarming incident that was presented in the FIR by the neighbouring shopkeepers, AAP leader Ms. Sarita Singh raised serious concerns about the involvement of BJP MLA Jitender Mahajan. She said, “The presence of MLA Jitender Mahajan during the arrest of a complainant against him and the arrested businessman then being taken away in a private vehicle raises questions about the credibility and integrity of the Delhi Police. The videos expose the protection provided by the Delhi Police to the crimes and hooliganism of the BJP MLA. The footage also reveals the intimidation tactics employed by BJP members, as they threaten the complainant while he is taken away in a private vehicle.”
Ms. Sarita Singh noted, “It is clear that the BJP and its members are determined to silence anyone who dares to speak out against them, as exemplified by the plight of other businessmen in the area who are being harassed but are now afraid of filing FIRs against the MLA. This entire incident exposes the systemic issues within the Delhi Police. It also vividly demonstrates how MLA Jitendra Mahan of Rohtas Nagar is singularly fixated on hooliganism and extortion, leaving the citizens hopeless.”
Commenting on the videos, Shri Durgesh Pathak said, “It is disconcerting to note that the person involved is claimed to be a Delhi Police crime branch officer. However, it raises important questions as to why Jitender Mahajan and his group were informed of the arrest by the crime branch. It is unprecedented, illegal and unconstitutional for the police to arrest someone in a private vehicle. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation is required to address this matter appropriately.”
Shri Durgesh Pathak stressed, “This sends a seriously unsettling message to the people of Delhi: while the Delhi Police seems absent when a tragic incident, such as the stabbing death of a girl in Bawana, occurs, they swiftly respond when a citizen lodges a complaint against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, only to put the complainant behind bars.”
Directing his concerns to Delhi LG Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, who is responsible for maintaining law and order in Delhi, Shri Durgesh Pathak questioned whether he was aware of and complicit in this matter, or if it was executed under his direct instructions. Expressing their dismay, he stated, “This incident not only exposes the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi but also sheds light on the police force’s subservience to the BJP and its members. It is alarming that anyone who dares to raise their voice against the BJP is silenced and thrown into jail. The current state of law and order in Delhi is a complete failure, with the police visibly prioritising the interests of the Bharatiya Janata Party over the welfare of the general public. Political subservience takes precedence over justice, as citizens who dare to voice complaints against the BJP are subjected to harassment and unjust imprisonment. The entire Bharatiya Janata Party should be ashamed of itself.”
The Aam Aadmi Party demands immediate action, including the arrest of BJP MLA Jitender Mahajan, a thorough investigation into the allegations made against him, and the release of the wrongfully detained complainant. The party calls upon the Commissioner of Police, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, and the Union Home Minister to take immediate notice of this matter and resolve it promptly. Failure to do so will result in the Aam Aadmi Party taking to the streets alongside the people of Delhi.
