In a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the knife attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, police arrested Tahseen Syed, a close friend of the prime suspect, Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya.
Tahseen was arrested at Rajkot in Gujarat and brought to Delhi late on Friday night. He now stands charges of criminal conspiracy and assisting an attempt to murder, Delhi police sources said.
The authorities accuse Tahseen of being closely involved in facilitating Rajesh's alleged plan to attack the Chief Minister. Investigators observed that Rajesh was in constant touch with Tahseen during the days preceding the attack, and that Tahseen had sent Rs 2,000 to Rajesh—who is believed to have received that as monetary support for conducting the attack.
The attack occurred on the Chief Minister's Aug 20 weekly Jan Sunwai meeting at her Civil Lines residence.
Rajesh, a driver of an auto-rickshaw from Rajkot who has a history of criminal cases, is said to have initially tried to commit the assault at the Supreme Court. But heavy security made him change direction to the Chief Minister's Shalimar Bagh residence.
Delhi police officials indicated that Rajesh had planned to launch an attack using a knife but, because of the increased security presence at CM's residence, he allegedly dropped the knife in the Civil Lines when he entered the compound. Police teams are now looking for the knife, and it can be an important piece of evidence.
Tahseen's arrest is being construed as a major breakthrough in what authorities are terming as a "premeditated and coordinated conspiracy." Interrogations continue, with police analyzing call details, online communications, and financial transactions to gauge the extent of his complicity.
Authorities also hinted at the existence of a larger network, with several persons under investigation both in Delhi and in Rajkot.
Rajesh and Tahseen are both to appear in court on Monday when police will seek extended custody in order to recover the abandoned knife and probe deeper into the conspiracy.
The incident has once again brought to the fore questions regarding public officials' safety, especially during open-entry events such as the Jan Sunwai.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, who narrowly avoided major injury, made a statement upholding her dedication to public service: "Such attacks will never shake my resolve. I remain dedicated to serving the people of Delhi with courage and transparency.
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