EC warns Delhi top cop who revealed Shaheen Bagh gunman-AAP link; bars him from poll work

Delhi Crime Branch DCP Rajesh Deo has been issued a warning by the Election Commission of India and has been barred from taking up any work related to the upcoming Delhi elections. The move comes after Deo issued a statement to the media on February 4 regarding Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Gujjar’s alleged link to AAP. Deo made the statement after the Delhi Crime Branch's probe dug up photos of Gujjar’s 2019 AAP induction from his probe.. 

Election Commission's direction to police  

As per the letter issued by the ECI, the Commission has directed that:  

(i) A warning shall be issued to Shri Rajesh Deo, Deputy Commissioner of Police Crime (SIU & ISC) communicating therein the displeasure of the Commission on his conduct and copy of the same be placed in his CR Dossier. 

(ii) It shall be ensured that Shri Rajesh Deo is not assigned any work/matter related to the ongoing election to the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi. 

ECI's order

The ECI has also said that the action by Rajesh Deo was totally "uncalled for". They added that any such statement could massively the upcoming elections in Delhi. The letter said, "The Commission has considered the matter in detail and is of the view that the above - referred statements referring to a political party at this stage even as the investigation is still going on has the effect of adversely impacting the elections. This action was totally uncalled for and the conduct on the part of Shri Rajesh Deo has consequences on the holding of free and fair elections."

Crime Branch confirms retrieving pictures from the Kapil’s phone  

According to the photos accessed by the Crime Branch, Kapil Gujjar joined AAP in 2019. This was informed to the media by Rajesh Deo. The photos were recovered from his phone during the investigation following his arrest from the protest site. Following the investigation, it was also revealed that he bought the pistol seven years ago for a family marriage function.   

Read: BJP leader accuses Arvind Kejriwal of 'misleading' people to protest in Shaheen Bagh 

Talking about Kapil Gujjar's link with AAP, Rajesh Deo, DCP Crime Branch said, "In our initial investigation we found some photos from Kapil's phone that establish and he has already disclosed that he and his father joined AAP a year ago. We have taken his two days remand."    

Read: CM Yogi defends 'shoot traitors' & 'shot like dogs' remarks by BJP netas as 'nationalist' 

On Wednesday morning, Kapil Gujjar's father claimed that his son is a follower of PM Modi and Amit Shah. In an interview with news agency ANI, he said "Neither I nor any member of my family has anything to do with AAP. I was in BSP till 2012. I left politics in 2012". However, photos from Gujjar's phone do show him being inducted into the AAP by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. 

Read: AAP's Sanjay Singh issues first response on pics of Shaheen Bagh gunman's 2019 induction