New Delhi:
The Aam Aadmi Party has landed in another controversy with minister Manish Sisodia issuing a strongly worded warning to the Delhi Police, amid accusations against that the party's ministers of vigilantism and breaking the law.
Here are the 10 big developments in this story:
Angered by Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi's refusal to suspend three policemen on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's demand, Mr Sisodia said today, "This is not the Sheila Dikshit government. We are being accused of vigilantism, but we are a different government. Whether the police come under us or not, we will demand action. If the police don't fall in line, we'll fix them." (Watch video)
Mr Kejriwal has accused the three cops of refusing to act against alleged criminals. He complained this morning to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and will now meet his boss Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde at 5.30 this evening. (Amid anger over gang-rape, Kejriwal blames Delhi Police)
Mr Sisodia rejected the police plea that it cannot make arrests on the spot on demand and needs warrants to do so. "The police enter poor people's homes as and when they want, without warrants. But refuse to act against a sex and drug racket. People in that neighbourhood complained many times," he said at a press conference.
The AAP government wants action against a policeman who had a public altercation late on Tuesday night with Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti, who had sought immediate action against people he alleged were sex and drug racketeers. (Law Minister Somnath Bharti wanted us to search without warrant: cops on failed raid)
Mr Bassi reportedly told Mr Kejriwal at the meeting with the Lieutenant Governor today that the policeman was merely following procedure and it was Minister Somnath Bharti who broke the law.
Mr Sisodia has denied reports that a Nigerian woman was beaten up by AAP workers after the Somnath Bharti incident.
The Delhi government also wants two other cops suspended. One of them had a similar showdown with another AAP minister Rakhi Birla. The other is the Station House Officer of Paharganj; a Danish national was gang-raped in the area on Tuesday evening.
The Delhi Police reports to the Lieutenant Governor. Mr Kejriwal was among his predecessor Sheila Dikshit's most vocal critics for pointing to that fact when her Congress government was assailed for failing to ensure the safety of women in the Capital after the brutal gang-rape of a medical student on a moving bus in December 2012.
Mr Kejriwal has been severely criticised by both the Congress and the BJP for his government's inadequate response to the shocking gang-rape of the Danish woman in the heart of Delhi.
He made a controversial statement yesterday saying, "if you don't arrest drug and sex offenders... this is where tendencies of rape begin." He also accused the Delhi Police of being a "highly compromised force," setting up a confrontation.
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