Rekha Gupta attack: Why Delhi Police suspect a bigger conspiracy
Delhi Police, investigating the attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday morning, have claimed that the incident was part of a “well-planned” conspiracy.
Citing CCTV footage from Gupta’s private residence in Shalimar Bhag, police said the attacker had been making preparations for at least 24 hours in advance.
The footage showed him conducting a recce of the chief minister's residence on Tuesday, recording visuals before carrying out the assault, according to police.
The accused, identified as Rajesh Sakaria (41), a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat, was arrested and booked under attempt-to-murder and other charges. On Thursday, a local court sent him to five days ' police custody.
Following the attack, the Centre has accorded Z-category CRPF security to the chief minister.
According to reports, Sakriya left Rajkot for Ahmedabad on August 17 and then travelled to Ujjain.
"Rajesh claimed he visited several prominent temples in Ujjain, including Mahakal, Kal Bhairav, and Mahalaxmi," a Times of India report quoted an investigating officer as saying.
On August 18 evening, Sakriya took a train to Delhi and reached the national capital in the morning on August 19. “From the station, he went to the Hanuman temple in Karol Bagh, where he participated in the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa," the report quoted the officer as saying.
Sakriya later reached the CM’s house at Shalimar Bhag and requested to meet the chief minister. However, the security staff told him that the chief minister would meet the public at the Jan Sunwai programme at Civil Lines on Wednesday.
According to police sources, the man entered the chief minister's Camp Office on the Raj Niwas Marg posing as a complainant. He approached CM Gupta with a complaint during the meeting and allegedly slapped her.
"Before anyone could figure out anything, the man kept on attacking the CM. Security guards overpowered him and forced him to the ground," said an officer.
Initial reports suggested that Sakriya was a dog lover and wanted to build canine shelters. But the police suspect a bigger conspiracy.
"The accused is claiming that he was upset over the Supreme Court order on dogs, but we suspect something more deep. He slapped the chief minister and attacked her,” a source told PTI news agency.
"We suspect the involvement of more people and have summoned two to three persons close to him for questioning. If their involvement is established, we could make more arrests in a couple of days," it said.
Police have found that Sakriya had five FIRs registered against him in Rajkot city between 2017 and 2024. While two FIRs were related to assault and criminal intimidation, three were for the alleged possession and transportation of liquor.
India