New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) The iconic blue WagonR associatedwith Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which was stolen fromoutside the Delhi Secretariat two days ago, was foundabandoned in Ghaziabad today.
The Delhi Police suspected it could have been lifted for"joy ride".
The old car was found in Ghaziabad around 6 am by thelocal police who contacted their Delhi counterpart, said theDelhi Police spokesperson, DCP Madhur Verma.
The car was registered in the name of the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) and was now being used by the party's media coordinatorVandana, the officer said, adding it was earlier used byKejriwal.
"The car was lifted from outside the Delhi Secretariataround 1.06 pm on October 12. It was parked outside thesecretariat, about 200 metres away from the parking lot," hesaid.
The car was parked "outside a proper parking" lot and it"lacked any anti-theft device" making it "easier" for theoffender to lift it, the officer said.
"The way the car was found abandoned, there ispossibility that it could have been lifted for a joy ride andlater dumped, although the role of an organised gang is notbeing ruled out in investigation," Verma said.
During investigation, police obtained CCTV footage andspotted the vehicle at the Delhi Secretariat, Metro station,ISBT Sarai Kale Khan and DND flyover.
"This led us to suspect it was taken to Noida, Ghazibador some other western Uttar Pradesh areas. Police teams weresent to these places including Meerut and Mathura," he said.
Police have also collected CCTV grab of the offender.
Only one person has been found to be involved in theoffence. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery ofcertain belongings including a sword that is presented as amark of respect to the guests at functions.
Police is trying to figure out by talking to its presentowner, whether anything was missing or not.
The vehicle has been brought to Delhi and parked at IPEstate police station for further scientific investigation.
Kejriwal had yesterday written a letter to Lt GovernorAnil Baijal, saying the theft points towards the rapidly"deteriorating" law and order situation in the nationalcapital.
Verma said that the Delhi Police gave priority to eachcase of vehicle theft whether its owner was a VIP or anyordinary person.
The theft of car had outraged AAP workers, many of whomposted videos of Kejriwal using the car, especially on theRepublic Day in 2014, after he became the chief minister ofDelhi for the first time.
The vehicle was "donated" to Kejriwal by Kundan Sharma, asoftware engineer, in January 2013. However, when Kejriwalparted ways with his then party colleagues Prashant Bhushanand Yogendra Yadav, Sharma demanded that the vehicle bereturned.
Even after Kejriwal became the chief minister in December2013, he refused to use an official car and preferred his oldWagonR. PTI SLB VITSMN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.