Delhi Law Minister Jitender Tomar arrested; charged with getting jobs on fake degree, cheating, forgery

New Delhi: In a major embarrassment for the Aam Aadmi Party government, Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar was arrested on Tuesday on charges of cheating, forgery and getting jobs on fake degree. Tomar is accused of having a fake law degree and has been taken to Vasant Vihar police station.

The arrest was made after the Bar Council of Delhi filed a criminal complaint against his alleged fake law degree. The Bar Council also suspended Tomar's license. On May 13, the Bar Council had also sought a probe into his fake law degree.

Tomar has been charged under various IPC sections including 420 (cheating). He has also been charged under IPC sections 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery with purpose of cheating) and 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy).

AAP leaders and supporters are protesting the police station over Tomar's arrest. The minister is likely to be produced in Saket Court at 3 PM.

Tomar, the Tri-Nagar MLA, said, "Around 30-40 policemen along with an Additional Commissioner of Police came to my office and said that they wanted to speak to me and would talk at my place. I have not been served any arrest warrant. I have not been given any details. They are not giving any details, they are harassing me. This is a political vendetta."

The Delhi Police is tight-lipped on the development and Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi also refused to comment on the arrest. "I am not yet aware of Tomar's arrest as I was out of office for a meeting. I will get the full facts and then respond," Bassi said.

The AAP is crying foul on the arrest with party spokesperson Sanjay Singh saying, "Jitender Tomar's case is in the High Court then why is the arrest. Is it to put pressure? The Lieutenant Governor and the Modi government are trying to put pressure on us. Our fight is against corruption will continue."

AAP leader Ashutosh also hit out at the Centre and said it's an emergency like situation in the national capital. "The officers came and took him. The matter is in court. Why actions are not taken against BJP leaders who have fake degree? It's an emergency like situation in Delhi," Ashutosh said.

Tomar, a first-time minister, has found himself embroiled in a controversy over his law degree ever since he took charge as Delhi's Law Minister.

Bihar-based Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University had informed the Delhi High Court that Tomar's law degree is fabricated. The institute had claimed that Tomar's law degree does not exist in their records.

The university said that the serial number on the provisional certificate has the name of some other person in a different stream of study.

The Bharatiya Janata Party which held protest demanding Tomar's ouster refused to comment. Party leader Satish Upadhyay said, "Law is supreme. Let law do its work. The Delhi government should cooperate. Delhi Police must have a detailed investigation with evidence when they have arrested the state Law Minister."

Defending police's action, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi said, "Delhi Police will not arrest him without any strong evidence. Delhi Police will have to clear whether he has been arrested or picked up for questioning. I do not think police will arrest him without solid evidence."