Delhi Court satisfied by probe in AAP minister Imran Hussain 's assault case 

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has expressed satisfaction over the ongoing probe into the case of alleged assault of Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain with the police assuring it that efforts were on to identify the culprits.

The Delhi Police made the submission in its status report to Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra, saying it was in the process of obtaining the hard disk having CCTV footage of the alleged incident to send it to the forensic laboratory.

"The status report filed by inspector Ravinder Malik informing that sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharging duty) of the IPC is added during investigation.

"He informed that he is in process of obtaining the hard disk in which the footage is recorded and thereafter they will send the disk to FSL for examination.

It is further informed that efforts to identify the culprits is in the process.

Report of investigation found satisfactory," the court said while putting up the matter for further proceedings on April 24, 2018.

Hussain had lodged a complaint claiming that a day after the alleged assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on February 19, he was mobbed by the Delhi government officials, who raised slogans and prevented him from taking the elevator to his 6th floor office at the secretariat.

The court had earlier directed the police to preserve all CCTV footage relevant to the alleged assault and ensure a fair investigation in the case.

It had also directed the police to examine Hussain to ascertain the names of persons who had allegedly attacked him.

The police had earlier informed the court that notices have been issued to 14 people to join investigation in the matter.

Hussain, however, had alleged that the investigation was being conducted at a snail's pace.

The court had earlier directed the police to provide necessary security if needed to Hussain and had said that the CCTV footage prima-facie showed that the minister was also surrounded by a "herd of people and thereafter criminal force was used against him as well as his staff".

The court, after viewing the CCTV footage submitted by the minister, had said it was clear that he was restrained in the lift, a huge crowd was present and criminal force was used.

Hussain, in his complaint, had said he was restrained from going to his office and his mobile phone was snatched during the incident.

The Delhi Government Employees Association had refuted the allegation and claimed that the minister had arrived at the secretariat on February 20 when sloganeering was going on against the alleged assault on the chief secretary, but nobody manhandled him.