AAP Leaders Detained During Protest Over Janakpuri School Assault Case; Delhi Police to Challenge Accused’s Bail

New Delhi : Several leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bhardwaj and MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar, were detained by Delhi Police on Wednesday while protesting outside Raj Niwas over the alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old girl at a school in Janakpuri. According to AAP, the leaders had gathered to seek a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu regarding allegations that Delhi Police officials threatened the victim’s parents. The party claimed the delegation waited for hours outside Raj Niwas before being detained.

Condemning the police action, Saurabh Bhardwaj termed the detention “inhuman” and accused the LG of ignoring public concerns in the sensitive case. He alleged that despite a prior appointment, the LG refused to meet the delegation, calling it an insult to the women of Delhi. AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal also criticised the BJP, accusing the ruling party of shielding the accused and suppressing voices demanding justice for the child.

Leader of Opposition Atishi Marlena said the law-and-order situation in Delhi had “completely broken down” and alleged that the BJP-led administration was failing to ensure women’s safety. The incident pertains to the alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old girl during school hours at a private school in West Delhi’s Janakpuri on April 30. Based on the victim’s identification, police arrested a 57-year-old school caretaker on May 1 and sent him to judicial custody. However, a Dwarka court granted him bail on May 7 despite opposition from the prosecution.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police said it would challenge the bail order in the Delhi High Court. In a statement posted on X, police denied allegations of harassment or intimidation of the victim’s family and asserted that the investigation was conducted professionally and in a child-friendly manner. Police said statements of the child and her mother were recorded before a judicial magistrate, CCTV footage and other evidence were seized, and forensic examinations were carried out. The department added that a Joint Commissioner of Police would meet the victim’s parents and submit a report within 24 hours.