A Delhi court on Thursday granted AAP Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan protection from arrest until February 24 in connection with an alleged attack on a police team in Jamia Nagar on February 10. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 24.
Amanatullah Khan on Thursday moved a Delhi court seeking anticipatory bail in the case.
The re-elected Okhla MLA has also been directed by the Delhi court to join the probe, whenever summoned by the Investigating Officer .
The police have been instructed to ensure that his questioning takes place under CCTV surveillance.
The MLA filed the application before Special Judge Jitendra Singh seeking protection from arrest before joining the investigation, claiming that the allegations levelled against him are false.
“Some people in the Delhi Police are implicating me in a false case. The person whom the Delhi Police had come to arrest is (out) on bail. The police are implicating me in a false case to hide its mistake,” India Today quoted Amanatullah Khan’s letter dated February 12.
After the incident, the Delhi Police had launched a search operation to trace Amanatullah Khan after he was booked. An FIR has been registered against Khan for allegedly obstructing the police from carrying out their duty, manhandling officers and facilitating the escape of an accused.
The case includes charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including 221, 121(1), 132, 191(2), 190, 263(b), 351(3), and 111, reported TOI.
On Monday, a team of police officials visited Khan’s residence in connection with the case.
DCP South East Delhi Ravi Kumar Singh confirmed that both Amanatullah Khan and Shavez Khan remain untraceable.
“A team of Crime Branch had come to nab a proclaimed offender, Shavez Khan. While he was being questioned, Amanatullah Khan came here along with his supporters and freed him. He (Shavez Khan) has been absconding since then. We are undertaking legal proceedings. All necessary legal actions will be taken. Efforts are being made to establish contact with him (Amanatullah Khan), it is yet to go through. The investigation is underway,” he told ANI.
Amanatullah will appear before the police at 5 pm today, said a source.
He said the police had requested a ban on Amanatullah Khan’s entry into Jamia Nagar, but the court rejected the plea.
The court also directed police to bring all the documents aside from any CCTV footage related to the incident before the court on February 24, reported PTI.
The police said the mob led by Khan helped a proclaimed offender, an accused in an attempt-to-murder case, escape from custody, according to the report. It said the alleged incident took place when a team of Delhi Police’s Crime Branch attempted to arrest one Shabaz Khan in another case.
Reacting over the incident, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva had said: “Amanatullah Khan is a man of criminal character. Many cases have been filed against him before, and he has repeatedly played with the law. But this time, it will cost him dearly. He has tried to protect a murder accused, and the law will take its course. We demand the harshest punishment for such people.”
In the letter written to police on Wednesday, Khan claimed he had learned from media reports that a “fake and baseless” FIR had been filed against him, based on “twisted facts.” Khan says that the FIR is politically motivated with an aim to ruin his reputation. Khan has demanded an independent investigation into the matter, reported HT.
