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On Shaheen Bagh Shooter's Links To AAP, Kejriwal Points To 'Conspiracy' By Amit Shah

The shooter's family said he had no association with any political party.
Police officers detain Kapil Gujjar, who fired multiple shots in New Delhi's Shaheen Bagh where people have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act since December 15.
ANI/Reuters
Police officers detain Kapil Gujjar, who fired multiple shots in New Delhi's Shaheen Bagh where people have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act since December 15.

AAP chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal called reports of Shaheen Bagh shooter’s link to the party a “political stunt” before the upcoming assembly elections in the capital on February 8.

Delhi Police’s Crime Branch said on Tuesday that Kapil Gujjar, who had opened fired at the Shaheen Bagh protest site last week, confessed to being a member of the Aam Aadmi Party.

In response to the Delhi Police’s statements, AAP hit out at the BJP for indulging in “dirty politics” while Kejriwal called it a “conspiracy” by home minister Amit Shah.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo said on Tuesday that Kapil and his father had joined the AAP in early 2019. As proof, the police spoke of photographs found on the 25-year-old’s phone with AAP’s Sanjay Singh and Aatishi that were leaked earlier, NDTV reported. Police say they had seized Kapil’s mobile phone and retrieved WhatsApp data.

Kapil’s family, however, refuted the police’s claim.

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His uncle Fatesh Singh told PTI, “I have no idea where these photographs are circulating from. My nephew Kapil had no association with any political party nor does any other member from the family. My brother, Gaje Singh, (his father) fought assembly elections in 2008 on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket and lost. After that, no one from our family had any links with any political party.“

Singh added that Kapil also doesn’t have friends associated with the AAP or any other political party.

Gaje had also contested the 2012 civic body polls from the BSP, the police said.

AAP slams Delhi Police

At a press conference on Tuesday night, AAP accused the Delhi Police of acting on BJP’s behest.

“How did the photo that is the part of the investigation reach the BJP before the police statement was issued? In the morning, Manoj Tiwari (Delhi BJP chief) said that the gunman was from AAP. How did he know this?” AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh asked.

Singh slammed the Deputy Commissioner of Police said he should pin the lotus on his shirt.

AAP also said that the gunman who had shot a student of Jamia Millia Islamia University on January 30 was a member of the Bajrang Dal. He asked, “Did Amit Shah’s police talk about the Bajrang Dal link even once? Why aren’t they bringing up Bajrang Dal (in that case) like they have with AAP?” Singh said.

On Saturday, Kapil had fired two rounds in air at Shaheen Bagh. According to eyewitnesses, he shouted “Hindu Rashtra Zindabad” and fired two rounds.

He was later arrested by the police.

Kapil has been remanded to police remand for two days. He had bought the pistol around seven years ago for his brother’s marriage. The source of the weapon from where he procured it is yet to identified, police said.

Delhi Police, which reports to home minister Amit Shah, had been criticised for its handling of the firings at Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Nagar last week.

On Tuesday, following the police’s statement, BJP president JP Nadda accused Kejriwal of playing with the security of the country and said that the people will give the party a befitting reply.

“I want to make clear to Kejriwal that this country is bigger than any election, any government, and the country will not forgive those who play with its security. The people of Delhi will give a befitting reply,” Nadda tweeted.

AAP, meanwhile, accused the Delhi Police of interfering with the election, acting as puppets of the BJP.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.