The Delhi Police on Friday questioned Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Jolly for nearly six hours in connection with the defacement of the residence of former Tehelka Managing Editor Shoma Chaudhary here on Thursday.
Emerging out of the Saket police station, Mr. Jolly alleged the police action initiated against him was a ploy to keep him off the upcoming Assembly elections. He alleged that the police were targeting him “at the behest of a Congress Minister”. The BJP leader reiterated he had tendered an apology in this regard.
A senior police officer on Friday evening said any decision on arresting Mr. Jolly would be taken after examining the contents of his statement. “He was questioned to ascertain what prompted him to register his protest in such a manner,” said the officer who refused to divulge any details on the disclosures made by the BJP leader to those questions.
Surrounded by a handful of supporters — some of whom were present during Thursday’s incident when Mr. Jolly painted the word “accused” across Ms. Chaudhary’s nameplate and poured black paint over the floor outside her residence — the BJP leader reached the police station around 2 p.m. “A battery of around five to six lawyers accompanied him and he was questioned in their presence,” said the police officer.
The former Saket MLA has been booked under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 427 (mischief causing damage) and 341(wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.
Some supporters of Mr. Jolly, who gathered outside the police station, acknowledged they might have erred in the manner in which they had registered their protest against Ms. Chaudhary.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Jolly met party president Rajnath Singh to clarify his position on the whole issue. Mr. Singh said with Mr. Jolly tendering an unconditional apology, the matter was now closed.
“Insulting anybody is not the culture of the BJP. Vijay Jolly even offered his resignation from the party post. Since he has offered an unconditional apology, the matter should now come to rest,” said Mr. Singh. The party has distanced itself from the episode and senior party leaders had even criticised Mr. Jolly’s act.
