AAP lawmaker Manoj Kumar (in yellow shirt) after his arrest on Thursday
Manoj Kumar, a Delhi lawmaker from Arvind Kejriwal's ruling Aam Aadmi Party, has been arrested in connection with a forgery case and has been remanded by court in police custody for two days. His party has accused the BJP of revenge politics.
The Delhi Police alleged in court today that the AAP lawmaker from Kondli had used forged documents to sell a plot of land that did not belong to him. They had sought seven days' custody alleging that Mr Kumar had not co-operated with the investigation so far.
"This is an old matter related to some land fraud, the investigating officer is questioning Manoj Kumar as of now," said Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi earlier in the day.
Mr Kumar's lawyers argued in court that the Delhi Police has dredged up a year-old First Information Report or FIR to make a "vindictive arrest."
Manoj Kumar has several cases of cheating and one of assault against him.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh attacked the BJP-ruled Centre, which controls the Delhi Police. "Modi is doing 'gundaraj'... this must be one of the FIRs filed in 2014 against us when we were protesting," Mr Singh said, adding, "The Delhi Police are not arresting other people in even more grave cases."
AAP had also cried foul when the capital's police dramatically arrested its Jitender Singh Tomar, then Delhi's law minister, last month. He is accused of faking degrees.
Mr Tomar's arrest had exacerbated an already tense political situation in the capital amid a turf war between the AAP government and Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung.
The Delhi Police reports to the Centre through Mr Jung. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is reportedly looking at the modalities of holding a referendum in Delhi on the grant of full statehood, which will bring policing and other key functions under the state government.
Mr Kejriwal's party, which had won 67 of Delhi's 70 seats in February this year, alleges the BJP has been unable to digest its defeat.