In a big blow to the Arvid Kejriwal -led government, a court on Tuesday sent Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar into four-day police custody following his arrest in an alleged fake degree case. Delhi police had sought five-day police custody of Tomar after he was presented before the court. Metropolitan magistrate Navjeet Budhiraja allowed the police to quiz Tomar in custody for four days.
Police told the court that Tomar was an influential person, holding the power to fabricate documents within minutes. Tomar was arrested over his alleged fake law degree and a case of cheating, forgery and conspiracy was registered against him.
Police also told the court that the investigation in the case was at an initial stage and the documents pertaining to the law degree obtained by him were "fake".
Appearing for Tomar, senior advocate and Aam Aadmi Party member HS Phoolka opposed the plea of police, saying Tomar's documents are not fake and police arrested him on the basis of false information.
"As per an affidavit submitted in Delhi high court by the principal of Bishwanath Singh Institute of Legal Study College in Munger (Bihar), Tomar was a bonafide student for three years there," Phoolka told the court.
He said as per the records of a law college, he studied there for three years and completed his degree. Phoolka also told court that police did not follow proper process before arresting him and alleged that the arrest was done under "political pressure".
However, police said they had served notice to Tomar before arresting him. Observing that notice was served just before the arrest, the court remarked it "looks like a farce exercise" practised by police.
Tomar's arrest is set to intensify the month-old tussle between Kejriwal and the Centre, which controls the Delhi police. On Monday, Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung created a post to appoint Joint Commissioner in Delhi Police, MK Meena, to the Anti-Corruption Branch, a new front in the bitter turf war.
