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NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday called off his 30-hour-long protest dharna here seeking suspension of policemen who refused to raid an alleged sex and drug ring in south Delhi after Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung promised to send erring cops on leave.
Kejriwal, who slept on road on Monday night, said he was calling off his protest – outside Railway Bhavan since Monday when he was stopped from going to North Block – on the appeal of the Lt Governor in view of the Republic Day celebrations on Jan 26.
The Delhi chief minister said the Lt Governor has assured him in a letter to send erring policemen on leave and expedite the judicial inquiry into the issue.
“The L-G said two police officials whose suspension we had demanded are being sent on leave pending a judicial inquiry into the matter of negligence. Let’s end the protest here today. It is a victory of the people of Delhi,’’ Kejriwal said.
As per the deal, the SHO of Malviya Nagar who refused to raid the alleged drug and prostitution ring and the PCR van in charge of Paharganj where a 51-year-old Danish woman was gangraped by seven goons last week, have been sent on leave.
Accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues, Kejriwal sat on what he said would be a 10-day-long sit-in till action was taken against policemen who refused to arrest some African nationals involved in an alleged drug and prostitution ring after Delhi law minister Somnath Bharti asked them to do so.
On Monday, the Delhi chief minister had also demanded the transfer of Delhi Police to the control of the Delhi government, which was rejected home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. Kejriwal said, “We will continue our efforts to make Delhi Police accountable.’’
According to the chief minister, Delhi Police also refused to register a case against the in-laws of a woman who was allegedly set on fire by them, despite Women and Child Development Minister Rakhi Birla requesting the police officials to do so.
But now “the police also arrested the people responsible for setting the woman afire in Sagarpur. We are happy that they acted after earlier refusing to do anything,’’ the Delhi chief minister said, ending his protest.
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