Saurabh Bharadwaj Accuses Delhi CM of Shielding Drug Peddlers, Demands Immediate Resignation

NEW DELHI: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday alleged political interference in policing after circulating a video in which an Additional Station House Officer of the Bharat Nagar Police Station is heard telling residents that police are unable to arrest all suspects seen in CCTV footage because their “hands are tied.”

Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj said the video shows the officer speaking to local women about a recent incident and explaining why several suspects visible in CCTV footage have not been arrested. According to Bharadwaj, the officer can be heard saying that police cannot act against all the accused due to political patronage and pressure from higher authorities.

Bharadwaj claimed that only four people have been arrested so far in the case, and two of them have been sent to Tihar Jail. He questioned why the remaining suspects whom he said number around 15 to 20 and are visible in the CCTV footage have not been detained.

“The police officer himself is seen admitting that their hands are tied,” Bharadwaj said, alleging that officers are facing pressure not to take action against certain accused individuals.

The AAP leader also referred to a incident that he said occurred three days earlier in Wazirpur. According to Bharadwaj, a wedding function was underway at a house in the area when two intoxicated men were fighting on the roadside.

Residents from the wedding venue allegedly asked the men to stop fighting because the wedding procession was about to arrive. Bharadwaj said the two men then turned on the person who intervened and began beating him.

He alleged that the men subsequently called other associates, who also arrived intoxicated and assaulted the victim. The man who attempted to stop the fight later died from injuries sustained in the attack, and one person is under medical observation due to severe injuries, Bharadwaj claimed.

Bharadwaj alleged that officers were being prevented from arresting all the accused involved in such incidents because of directions from senior political authorities, including the local MLA and the Chief Minister.The AAP leader demanded action and questioned why those seen in the CCTV footage had not yet been taken into custody. There was no immediate response from the police or the Delhi government regarding the claims at the time of publication.