JOIN USAAP men quizzed on farmer's death
Aam Aadmi Party’s national executive member Sanjay Singh and four party volunteers were questioned on Thursday over Rajasthan farmer Gajendra Singh’s suicide during a party rally in the capital in April 2015.
Gajendra had committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree during the rally at Jantar Mantar.
The AAP members were asked if Gajendra was known to any of the party leaders. The questions also included as to how the AAP members reacted when they saw Gajendra climbing the tree and why they continued with the rally even after his death.
Apart from Sanjay and the volunteers, police have also served notice to member of Parliament from Punjab’s Sangrur constituency Bhagwant Mann, AAP’s national executive member Kumar Vishwas and vice-chairman of Delhi Dialogue Commission Ashish Khetan under section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
“Sanjay Singh and the volunteers were questioned at the Crime Branch office in south Delhi’s RK Puram Sector-8. Bhagwant, Vishwas and Ashish have informed that they will join the probe on Friday,” said a police officer.
A volunteer named Neeraj Kumar represented the organiser of the rally, while others were the tent house owner who set up the stage and people who made other arrangements at the venue.
In the FIR filed after the suicide, police allege that Gajendra was provoked by AAP leaders and volunteers and that they did not cooperate in saving the 41-year-old rain-hit farmer.
Gajendra’s brother also alleges that Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia knew him. It is claimed that Gajendra had gone to meet Sisodia after they won the state Assembly elections.
On the basis of a Delhi Police inspector’s statement, a case under sections 306 (abetment to suicide) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code was registered with Parliament Street police station. The probe was later handed over to the Crime Branch.
Gajendra, who had three children, was banished from his house after his crop was damaged. In a suicide note, he claimed to have taken the extreme step as he had no means of support his family.