No evidence against Mahesh Girri in NDMC officer murder: Police

New Delhi, June 24: The Delhi Police on Thursday denied allegations of the ruling AAP that the probe into the murder of NDMC estate officer M.M. Khan is being influenced politically, while noting there was "no evidence" against BJP MP Mahesh Girri and former legislator Kanwar Singh Tanwar.

Police also said it is also probing a "letter" being circulated on the case.

"We have taken a note from some media reports. The letters which are being circulated in a section of the media by one political party have also been seized," Joint Commissioner of Police R.P. Upadhyay said.

Investigators said they have doubts over the authenticity of the "letter" allegedly written by Girri to Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha earlier had alleged that Girri wrote a letter to the LG favouring Hotel Connaught's owner Ramesh Kakkar and demanded action against the NDMC officer Khan.

Jung, according to Chadha, forwarded that letter to the NDMC with the remark: "Necessary action as per law be taken in the matter and action be reported to this office."

"The murder of an honest officer by a hotelier cannot happen without political patronage. Jung, Girri and Tanwar directly or indirectly helped the accused in getting political patronage," Chadha said.

Girri had denied his involvement in the crime and even sat on a hunger strike in front of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house from Sunday. Only after persuasion of the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, he ended his strike on Tuesday.

Upadhyay meanwhile described media reports that the Delhi Police is being influenced "to save few persons" as totally false and the probe was being pursued in a professional and fair manner.

"There have been reports in the media that investigation in M.M. Khan's murder is being influenced to save few persons. All the allegations are totally false as the investigation of the case has been done in a fair and professional manner. All the evidence collected have been thoroughly examined," Upadhyay told reporters.

The officer further said that all the papers seized from NDMC have been thoroughly scrutinized and there is "no evidence" against Girri and Tanwar.

Upadhyay said seven persons -- including hotel owner Kakkar, 47, Ram Phool, 46, Israil, 31, Saleem Khan, 29, Amir Alvi, 24, Anwar Omais, 21, and Bilal-- have been arrested in the case so far.

Khan, who was the estate officer with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), was shot dead outside his home by unidentified gunmen on May 16.

The officer said that Khan was taking up the matter of Hotel Connaught situated at Connaught Place in central Delhi with its owner Kakkar.

"The hotel was on lease with NDMC. On the directions of Delhi High Court, M.M. Khan had to pass final order in the lease case on May 17. Kakkar hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Khan apprehending an unfavourable order which would have resulted in huge monetary loss to the hotelier," the officer said.

Upadhyay said that the investigation is being done in a professional manner. "All the relevant documents related to the file of Hotel Connaught have been seized from the NDMC. The letters which are being circulated in a section of the media by one political party have also been seized by the investigating agency."

"Delhi Police is a professional force which works as per the rule of law. The attempt by certain quarters of the society to politicise the murder case of the government employee is totally uncalled for," he added.

--IANS

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