AAP MLA Rituraj Govind arrested in Delhi's Kirari area
NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Rituraj Govind has been arrested on charges of apprehension of breach of peace in Outer area before Chhath Pooja, making him the 15th party legislator to be apprehended.
Confirming the arrest, DCP (Outer) M N Tiwari today said, "He was arrested last night on charges of apprehension of breach of peace in the area before Chhath Pooja."
Local BJP leader and ex-MLA Anil Jha was also arrested along with the AAP MLA following a "fight" yesterday in the area over a ghat.
Police said section 144 of the CrPC (prohibiting assembly of more than four people) was imposed in ghat area, which is a heritage property, from yesterday morning in view of the Chhath puja and the MLA had allegedly violated the order.
Rituraj said yesterday that he was trying to build a ghat at Nithari Talaab near the expressway on the occasion of Chhath puja along the river bank in Kirari which is his constituency.
His move was objected to by the local villagers and Jha even as he said the construction of the ghat was funded by the Delhi government.
The arrest of Rituraj and Jha led to a political blame game between the parties.
Delhi BJP condemned Jha's arrest and accused the AAP MLA of "land grabbing".
"Rituraj was trying to built a ghat in his constituency, but was stopped and instead arrested on a day when he was to be with his people and family. The entire ruckus has been orchestrated by a local BJP leader," said Deepak Bajpai, AAP spokesperson.