Delhi: AAP's Pathak, BJP MLA Mahajan lock horns over 'arrest' of businessman

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak on Thursday accused BJP MLA Jitender Mahajan of trying to extort a businessman and claimed that the complainant was arrested in the presence of Mahajan for filing a case against him.Mahajan, however, denied the charges, saying it is AAPs character to level baseless allegations on others.

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak on Thursday accused BJP MLA Jitender Mahajan of trying to extort a businessman and claimed that the complainant was ''arrested in the presence of Mahajan'' for filing a case against him.

Mahajan, however, denied the charges, saying it is AAP's character to level ''baseless'' allegations on others. Addressing a press conference here, Pathak said, ''On May 28, two businessmen filed complaints with the police alleging that BJP MLA Jitender Mahajan used his goons and fired gunshots at them and also tried to extort Rs 2 crore from them. Days later, the police arrested one of the complainants.'' Showing a CCTV footage at the presser, the senior AAP functionary further claimed that the businessman was arrested in a private vehicle and alleged that the police is being ''misused'' by the BJP.

''This is the situation of law and order in Delhi. The businessman was arrested in front of Jitender Mahajan. He was in fact arrested in a private vehicle and we accessed the CCTV footage of it. This is a classic example of how the police are being misused,'' Pathak said.

He further said that Mahajan should be ''arrested immediately'', else the AAP leaders will stage protests against him.

Reacting to the allegations, Mahajan said that Pathak was ''lying''. ''It is AAP's character to level baseless allegations on others. They do not have any faith in police or courts,'' he alleged.

''The persons who had accused me of sending people and firing at their shop, have revealed that they lodged a fake complaint against me. There is also an evidence that their complaint was fake,'' the BJP MLA said.

Mahajan alleged that Pathak is trying to ''settle'' political score with him and shielding wrong persons. ''The police should lodge an FIR against Pathak for lying and trying to hamper probe by issuing misleading statements,'' he added.