An adviser to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, V.K. Jain, who said that he witnessed the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash at Mr. Kejriwal’s residence last month, has resigned.
Mr. Jain told The Hindu on Tuesday that he had resigned citing personal reasons and family commitments. Mr. Jain, a retired IAS officer, attended the late night meeting at Mr. Kejriwal’s residence on February 19, where Mr. Prakash was allegedly assaulted by AAP MLAs Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal in presence of Mr. Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
In his statement recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which is admissible as evidence in court, Mr. Jain had said on February 23 that he saw Mr. Prakash being manhandled. The AAP has, however, said that Mr. Jain was pressured into giving the statement. Mr. Jain was brought in to the CM’s Office to address the gap caused by the suspension of Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar in 2016 following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a corruption case.
Prior to being appointed as adviser to the Chief Minister in September 2017, Mr. Jain had served in various posts within the Delhi government. He retired as the CEO of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board in August 2017.
