Ex-AAP minister Rajendra Pal Gautam quizzed by Delhi Police in conversion row
New Delhi, Oct 11: The Delhi Police on Monday quizzed former AAP minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at his residence in connection with a mass religious conversion event held in national capital last week.
Delhi Police said that Gautam, whose resignation as social welfare minister was accepted by chief minister Arvind Kejrwal on Monday, has been issued a notice to again appear before its officers for questioning on Tuesday.
Gautam is embroiled in a massive political row over the event at Rani Jhansi Road where thousands of Hindus converted to Buddhism on October 5, and where they took an oath denouncing Hindu deities.
AAP's Rajendra Pal Gautam resigns after row over 'religious conversion' event
Deputy commissioner of police (Central) Shweta Chauhan on Monday said,"He (Gautam) has been summoned on Tuesday under section 91 of the Criminal Procedure Code. No first information report filed in the incident as of now." Section 91 of the CrPC is used whenever any court or any officer in charge of a police station considers that the production of any document or other related evidence is necessary or desirable for the purposes of any investigation, inquiry, trial or other proceedings.
The BJP had used the issue to attack AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal during the election campaigning in Gujarat and accused him of being "anti-Hindu".
In a letter shared on Twitter, Gautam said he attended the event in his personal capacity and it had nothing to do with his party or the ministry. He lashed out at the BJP for targeting Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging the saffron party was doing "dirty politics" on the issue.
Gautam, who was the Minister for Social Welfare, SC and ST, Registrar of Co-operative Societies and Gurudwara Elections, said he is resigning as minister as he does not want his leader or AAP to be in trouble because of him.