NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Thursday confirmed that Rajesh Sakriya Khimjibhai, the 41-year-old man who attacked chief minister Rekha Gupta, has been sent to a five-day police remand.Khimjibhai had assaulted the CM during her ‘Jan Sunwai’ programme at her Civil Lines camp office on Wednesday morning.An attempt-to-murder case under Sections 109(1), 132, and 221 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered against him at the Civil Lines police station.Police sources said the investigation is being conducted jointly by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Delhi Police’s Special Cell, probing all possible angles.PWD minister Parvesh Verma said CM Gupta sustained injuries to her head, shoulders, and hands in the attack. “The attacker had clearly prepared for this assault. It could have been life-threatening,” he said.According to senior police officials, Khimjibhai entered the camp office posing as a complainant. He allegedly slapped the CM and grabbed her hair before security personnel overpowered him. Delhi minister Kapil Mishra called it “not an ordinary attack,” adding that the accused tried to push the CM to the ground.Police sources indicated that the accused, a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat, came to Delhi two days ago and stayed in North Delhi’s Civil Lines area. While Khimjibhai claims he was motivated by the Supreme Court’s recent order on stray dogs, investigators are probing possible larger conspiracy links. Two videos of the ‘Jan Sunwai’ programme were recovered from his mobile phone.Official sources also cited CCTV footage from the CM’s private residence in Shalimar Bagh, showing the accused conducting a recce at least 24 hours before the assault. He was seen recording visuals and making preparations for the attack in advance.Following the incident, CM Gupta described the attack as a “cowardly attempt” on her resolve to serve the people of Delhi and said the ‘Jan Sunwai’ programme would continue as scheduled.Delhi Police are continuing their investigation, and additional arrests may follow if more individuals are found to be involved. The accused has been sent for a medico-legal examination as part of standard procedure.A dog lover with a troubled pastRajesh Sakriya had a long brush with the law before Wednesday’s assault, police said.Deputy commissioner of police Jagdish Bangarva said five FIRs were registered against Sakriya at Bhaktinagar police station between 2017 and 2024. “Two were related to assault and criminal intimidation, while three were under the Excise Act for liquor possession and transportation. He was arrested in all, acquitted in four, and one liquor case is still pending,” the DCP said.Inspector M M Sarvaiya confirmed that Sakriya had been taken into custody several times but managed to walk free in most cases.Despite his record, neighbours described him as a man obsessed with stray dogs. They told police he often ferried injured strays to hospitals in his rickshaw, fed them daily, and even discussed building a shelter home for them. “We were also told he recently approached an industrialist for donations,” Bangarva said.His mother vouched for this version, claiming her son was a “dog lover” who was disturbed by the Supreme Court’s recent order on strays in Delhi. She maintained he had no political affiliations.(With agency inputs)
