Attacker targeted CM over her stance on SC dog order: Police in charge sheet

A man assaulted Delhi CM Rekha Gupta over her stance on stray dogs, angered by her refusal to oppose a Supreme Court ruling, according to police.

A 41-year-old man who allegedly assaulted Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta during a Jan Sunwai programme in August was apparently angered after she refused to oppose the Supreme Court’s decision on stray dogs, according to a charge sheet filed in a city court by Delhi Police.

Police officials seen outside the residence of Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta. (Sanchit Khanna/HT photo)

The 400-page document, submitted before the Tis Hazari court on October 18, details how the man – Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai Sakariya from Rajkot, Gujarat – demanded on August 20 that the chief minister protest against the top court’s directive to round up stray dogs in the Capital and send them to shelters.

According to the charge sheet, reviewed by HT, Sakariya grew infuriated when Gupta told him that the matter was decided by the Supreme Court and her government would abide by it. Moments later, he allegedly lunged forward and assaulted her before being restrained by security personnel. The court will take up the case for consideration on October 25.

The document cites Sakariya’s statement: “I entered the chief minister’s camp office in Civil Lines as a visitor and told the staff that I wanted to speak to her regarding the issue of dogs… When my turn came during the Jan Sunwai, I approached the CM to tell her I had seen videos of her supporting the Supreme Court’s decision and asked her to not support it and lodge a protest against it…”

Police said the accused described himself as a “protector of dogs” who was “hurt” by the CM’s views on the issue. The charge sheet notes that his online activity showed he had repeatedly watched and searched for videos on Gupta’s comments about stray dogs.

During interrogation, Sakariya claimed he was “guided by divine powers” to take up the cause.

“The accused travelled to Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain to pray for the cause of dogs… [he claimed] divine powers told him to become the protector of dogs and fight those who want to harm them,” the charge sheet stated. It adds that he planned his journey to Delhi soon after.

Police said he arrived in Delhi from Rajkot on August 19, a day before the attack. He checked into the Gujarati Samaj guesthouse in Civil Lines, from where he allegedly carried out a recce of the CM’s official residence in Shalimar Bagh and her Civil Lines camp office to study the security arrangements.

The next morning, around 8am, he arrived at the Jan Sunwai camp, waiting for his turn to meet the CM. “A day before the incident, the accused told his wife to wake him up at 6am as he had scheduled an appointment with the CM. He informed his family that he was going to Delhi to fight for the rights of stray dogs,” the chargesheet stated.

Police said Sakariya was arrested on the spot after the assault, while his associate, Tehseen Syed, an auto-rickshaw driver from Rajkot, was arrested days later for allegedly funding and conspiring in the act. According to investigators, Syed had transferred money to Khimjibhai’s account while he was in Delhi and was aware of his plan to confront the CM.

Investigators described the accused as “criminal-minded”, noting that he has at least five prior cases of assault registered against him in Rajkot between 2017 and 2022. His past offences, police said, show a “pattern of violent and impulsive behaviour.”

In the investigation, police examined 48 witnesses, including CM Gupta and other attendees of the Jan Sunwai Camp, and attached CCTV footage from the incident and those o Sakariya’s travel through the metro. The charge sheet also includes forensic analysis of his mobile phone, which contains searches related to Gupta’s statements on the stray dog issue.

Police have charged both Khimjibhai and Syed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, and obstructing a public servant from discharging duty.