CCTV footage shows attacker surveyed Delhi CM’s Shalimar Bagh residence, probe reveals criminal past

New Delhi: In a major twist to the case involving the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, a CCTV footage dated August 19 has surfaced showing the accused, Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, conducting a recce and recording a video of the Chief Minister’s Shalimar Bagh residence.

The Delhi Police had arrested 41-year-old Rajesh, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat, on Wednesday after he attacked the Chief Minister during the Jan Sunvai programme at her Civil Lines residence.

The footage, though from her private residence in Shalimar Bagh, indicates 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.

Meanwhile, details of Rajesh’s criminal record have also emerged. According to police, at least five cases are registered against him at Bhaktinagar Police Station in Rajkot. He has been acquitted in four of them, while one case remains pending in court, with the next hearing scheduled for September 9.

Police sources said Rajesh is currently being interrogated to ascertain the motive behind the attack.

They added that the Gujarat Police have been contacted in connection with the case, while an official confirmation regarding further details of the accused is awaited.

PWD Minister Parvesh Verma and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa had earlier stated that the attacker pinned the Chief Minister to the ground by pulling her hair before security personnel and locals rushed to her rescue.

For the unversed, Chief Minister Gupta holds ‘Jan Sunvai’ every Wednesday at her residence in Civil Lines.

As scheduled, CM Gupta arrived at the event at 8 a.m. The incident occurred when she was listening to the people’s grievances.

When she approached Rajesh, he started shouting at her and grabbed her hand, as per the sources.

This incident is being viewed as a significant lapse in her security.

Additionally, the Delhi Police will conduct an internal enquiry into how the incident occurred despite tight security.

IANS