Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Tuesday afternoon attacked by a middle-aged man with chilli powder when he stepped out of his office after a meeting at the Delhi Secretariat.
The man , 40-year-old Anil Kumar Sharma, was waiting outside the Chief Minister's office and attacked him when Kejriwal stepped out, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told IANS.
"Taking suo moto cognizance, we have booked Anil Sharma, 40, on the charges of Criminal Intimidation, Obstructing public servant, causing hurt to deter public servant and assault or criminal force on public servant under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code," Joint Commissioner of Police Rajesh Khurana told IANS.
"We have not received any complaint from Aam Aadmi Party or the Delhi Secretariat in this regard against Sharma. He was interrogated by local police and other security agencies but found unstable", Khurana said.
Sharma on Tuesday attempted to attack on Kejriwal with chilli powder when he stepped out of his office after a meeting at the Delhi Secretariat.
"When Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was coming out of his chamber, Sharma tried to hand over his complaint to him. Kejriwal later passed his complaint copy to a staff member. In the meantime, Sharma bowed down to touch Kejriwal's feet, he suddenly attempted charging chief minister but it was swiftly foiled by security staff of Delhi Police", the joint Commissioner added.
The CCTV footage shows that Sharma tried to touch Kejriwal's feet and got up and threw the powder.
"Kejriwal's eyes were not affected in the attack as he was wearing spectacles," Bhardwaj said. However, a scuffle broke out and Kejriwal's spectacles broke, a witness told IANS.
The suspect was caught by the police. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called it a breach of security of the Chief Minister.
National Spokesperson of the AAP Raghav Chadha, who was with Kejiriwal during the attack, said the attacker was not interrupted as he walked towards the Chief Minister.
"I was following Kejriwal along with his personal secretary when he concluded a meeting and exited his chambers on the third floor at Delhi Secretariat.
"When we approached the hallway, we saw the attacker moving towards us. We could see he was holding something in his hands. Shockingly, he walked right up to the Chief Minister without being intercepted by any security personnel. He tried to attack the Chief Minister by snatching his glasses, trying to throw red chilli powder into his eyes and physically assault him," Chadha said in a statement.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that the attack was conducted with the help of Delhi Police and the BJP.
"The Chief Minister was attacked in a high-security zone, where all high-level officers and Ministers in Delhi have their offices. The office of the Chief Minister is even more sensitive place," he told media.
"This is a conspiracy. The BJP, along with Delhi Police, are trying to attack the Delhi Chief Minister. How is it possible that a place where even journalists are not allowed without checking, a man just walked in with chilli powder?
"This is not possible without the involvement of Delhi Police, who is working on the orders of the BJP," Sisodia said.
He also said that this is not the first time that Kejriwal was attacked. "The Chief Minister was attacked while delivering a speech at Chhatrasal Stadium when ink was thrown at him. A shoe was hurled at him in the media centre of the Secretariat. He was attacked even during the inauguration of the Signature Bridge when bottles were thrown at him by BJP workers."
No arrest or chargesheet has been filed in the above cases, he said.
He said during the inauguration of the Signature Bridge, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari was trying to get on the stage with his goons. They were allowed to stand near the stage and were throwing bottles.
"That day the bottles could have acid in them. There could have been other dangerous substances in the bottle. Today, instead of just powder, the man might have carried a gun or pistol. He could have carried acid in a bottle today. "
Sisodia has demanded a probe into the incident.