NEW DELHI: Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar was arrested by the Delhi Police this morning. There is no official word yet on what charges he has been arrested on, with Delhi Police chief BS Bassi saying he has “no information.”
Police sources said an FIR was registered last night against Mr Tomar on charges of cheating and forgery. Mr Tomar faces allegations that he faked his law degree.
The arrest came as a complete surprise to the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi; Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia looked stunned as he emerged from an address to an industry body. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called an emergency meeting at the Delhi Secretariat.
“I have no information yet with me. I was in a meeting, I will give details shortly,” said Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi. His reaction raised eyebrows, coming as it did after the police had not only arrested Mr Tomar, but also taken him to the Hauz Khas police station and then shifted him to another police station in Vasant Vihar.
Outside both police stations were barricades and other signs of security preps.
AAP has said Mr Tomar was arrested without prior notice and has slammed the BJP-led Central government. AAP sources alleged that the order to arrest Mr Tomar was signed by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Nadeem Jung, who represents the Centre.
Mr Jung has been in a protracted turf battle with the Delhi government over the appointment of key officials. They have recently warred over control of the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government.
The BJP and Congress have been demanding Mr Tomar’s resignation since April when allegations were first made that he had faked his Bihar law degree.
The Bihar-based Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University has told a Delhi court that it has no record of Mr Tomar’s law degree. The university had said Mr Tomar’s provisional certificate was “fabricated and doesn’t exist in the university’s record”.
