A recent CCTV video has brought new insights into the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The footage shows the accused, Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, lingering around the Chief Minister's Shalimar Bagh residence for an extended period before the incident.
Dated August 19, the video captures Rajesh arriving at the CM's private residence on a cycle rickshaw, meticulously recording videos of the vicinity, and entering the premises. He was observed moving in and out of the house for at least 11 minutes, seemingly conducting a reconnaissance.
Subsequently, the staff at the residence provided him with a slip containing details of the Chief Minister's official Civil Lines residence and the timings of the Jan Sunvai programme.
The situation escalated on Wednesday when Rajesh attacked CM Gupta during the Jan Sunvai at her Civil Lines residence, allegedly slapping her and pulling her hair. The Delhi Police promptly registered a case of attempt to murder against him under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and secured a five-day remand for interrogation.
According to the police, Rajesh, a 41-year-old from Rajkot, arrived in Delhi by train on Tuesday morning, marking his first visit to the national capital. He stayed in Room No. D-5 on the second floor of the Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines before heading to Shalimar Bagh. During a phone call, he even informed a friend about visiting the CM's residence.
In the aftermath of the shocking attack, security at the Chief Minister's Civil Lines residence has been significantly heightened. CM Gupta has now been granted 'Z category' security, and a team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel has been deployed for her protection.
The police further revealed that Rajesh has a criminal history, with five cases registered against him at Bhaktinagar Police Station in Rajkot. While he has been acquitted in four of them, one case is still pending, with the next hearing scheduled for September 9. Gujarat Police have been contacted for more details on his background, and further investigation is underway.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the political circle, prompting a flurry of visits by political leaders. Delhi MPs Manoj Tiwari, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Yogendra Chandolia, Praveen Khandelwal, and Bansuri Swaraj met with the Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, to inquire about her condition and the incident. The accused, Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, who allegedly assaulted CM Gupta during the public grievance event, was produced in court on Thursday and has been remanded to five days of police custody.
Delhi Police had registered a case against the 41-year-old under the newly introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), charging him under Section 109 (attempt to murder), Section 132 (obstruction of a public servant), and Section 221 (impeding public duties). "The accused has been taken into police custody, and an FIR under relevant BNS sections has been registered at Civil Lines Police Station. Further investigation is underway from all possible angles," said the Delhi Police in an official statement.
Contrary to the claims made by the family of Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, arrested for assaulting Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, that he is innocent and mentally unstable, police have now stated that Khimji is a "serial offender" with several cases registered against him in Gujarat's Rajkot.
On Wednesday morning, Rajesh entered the Chief Minister's bungalow at Raj Niwas Road during a Jan Sunwai session. He gained entry by showing a slip provided at Gupta's Shalimar Bagh residence the previous day. The Station House Officer was present on duty, and senior officers, including Commissioner of Police SBK Singh, reached the spot soon after.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena also visited the residence, which is located next to Raj Niwas. Investigators said Rajesh travelled from Ujjain to Delhi on Tuesday and first went to the CM's private residence in Shalimar Bagh. After staff directed him to the Jan Sunvai address, he stayed overnight at a Gujarati guest house nearby. Teams from the Intelligence Bureau and the Special Cell are interrogating Rajesh to verify whether a wider conspiracy is involved.
In her first reaction after the attack, Rekha Gupta said the attack on her during a "Jan Sunwai" programme was a "cowardly attempt" on her resolve to serve people, and asserted that it has not broken her spirit. She added that the Jan Sunvai programme would continue like before. The Delhi CM also said she was "in shock" after this attack, but assured people that she is "feeling better". For the unversed, Chief Minister Gupta holds 'Jan Sunvai' every Wednesday at her residence in Civil Lines. When she approached Rajesh, he started shouting at her and grabbed her hand, as per the sources.
The police are also planning to ask for a 5 to 7-day remand of Rajesh to ascertain the motive for the attack. The footage also indicated that Rajesh surveyed the area in advance and even made a recording, as claimed by Delhi Ministers Parvesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, that the assault was pre-planned.
His mother, Bhanu, told sources that Rajesh, a dog lover, was upset over the Supreme Court's recent ruling to shift stray dogs in Delhi NCR to shelters. Confusion remains over the exact sequence of events. Some sources said a heavy object may have been thrown, causing Gupta to fall, though official confirmation is pending.
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