AAP legislator Amanatullah Khan, who is facing sexual harssment charges, was arrested on Wednesday
Highlights
- Woman claiming to be Khan's relative had filed case against him last week
- Police had earlier refused to arrest the AAP legislator on Wednesday
- Khan, his family members deny the charges
AAP lawmaker Amanatullah Khan, accused of sexual assault, was arrested on Wednesday, two days after he offered himself up for arrest but was turned away. He has been sent to one-day judicial custody.
He tweeted that he had gone to meet a senior police officer and "they arrested me".
A 32-year-old woman claiming to be Mr Khan's relative had filed a sexual harassment case against him last week. His family has called the charges false.
Mr Khan, 42, had been arrested once before and let off on bail in a separate case.
The lawmaker went to the police station on Monday. After refusing to arrest him, the police said: "We will not arrest him now. Whatever he is doing is of his own accord. We will go by our investigation."
Mr Khan, the AAP legislator from Okhla, had gone with a large group of supporters and dared the police to arrest him. When there was no arrest, he told reporters that the police were under public pressure.
The lawmaker had told reporters last week that on learning of the case against him, he requested the police not to arrest him at a time he is deeply involved in a fogging drive in his constituency to fight against dengue and chikungunya.
This is the 19th arrest of an AAP MLA since the party came to power in February last year following a colossal victory.
Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister, has accused the centre of gunning for his party lawmakers and "sending Delhiites to jail under false cases".