Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar arrested in fake degree case: As it happened

Delhi Law Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jitendra Singh Tomar was on Tuesday arrested in connection with the fake degree row.

New Delhi: Delhi Law Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jitender Singh ​Tomar was on Tuesday arrested in connection with the fake degree row.

Here are the live updates:

• Don't want this issue to affect Aam Aadmi Party or Delhi Govt's image, says Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
• Speaking to Zee Media, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay says, “Tomar's resignation is not enough. BJP will decide further course of action.”
• “I have resigned over moral grounds, shall come back and work again,” he adds.
• Meanwhile, accusing the Modi government, Tomar says, “Centre is conspiring against me.”
• Sisodia further says, "We shall forward Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar's resignation letter to the LG tomorrow morning."
• "Jitendra Singh Tomar has put in his papers a while back. CM Arvind Kejriwal has accepted the resignation," says Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia. 
• Tomar's resignation has been accepted by the Delhi government.
• Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar sends his resignation, CM Arvind Kejriwal likely to accept it.

• Arrested Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar taken to Hauz Khas Police station.  
• Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel reaches Manish Sisodia's residence.
• CM Arvind Kejriwal, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Satyendra Jain & Manish Sisodia present in the meeting.
• A meeting is underway in Delhi at Manish Sisodia's residence, as per an ANI report.
• "Being myself a lawyer I find it shameful that a person with forged degree is taking charge of Law Minister," says Ripudaman.  
• Meanwhile, Ripudaman, the complainant of Tomar's fake documents case says, “I am satisfied with Court's verdict, justice is prevailed.”

• Delhi Court had also termed AAP minster Jitender Singh Tomar's arrest "farce exercise", say media reports.
• According to media reports, Court had questioned Delhi Police's conduct, by asking what was the urgency to arrest Jitendra Tomar?
• Shortly after the verdict, AAP leader Ashutosh says, “Whatever the court has ordered we respect that with humility and politeness but we also have the right to challenge the verdict in a superior court.”
• Delhi Police to procure necessary documents during this time-frame, says report.
• Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar sent to 4-day police custody in fake degree case.
• Arrest of Tomar is completely justified, this has been going on for last two months, says Chacko.
• Arvind Kejriwal is directly responsible. He has been sheilding Tomar knowing that this man is guilty: Congress leader PC Chacko.
• Hearing on Tomar's remand application completed; order reserved for 15 minutes, according to news agency ANI.
• CPI-M denounces the arrest of Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar, terms it shocking and asks Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to quit.
• Opposing the police's plea, senior advocate HS Phoolka and advocate Rajiv Khosla, who appeared for Tomar, says that police has arrested the minister without compliance of the provisions of the law and no notice under section 160 of the CrPC was served to him prior to his arrest.
• Delhi Police concludes press conference.
• This case is based on pure FIR, no other meaning should be taken out, says Special Commissioner Of Police Law And Order Deepak Mishra.
• No conspiracy in arrest of Delhi Law minister Jitender Singh Tomar: Delhi Police.   
• Controller of Examination has also verified this fact that no degree or marksheet has been issued on the name of Tomar: Delhi Police
• Documents submitted to prove him advocate and B.Sc graduation degree along with marksheet appears to be forged as per complaint, says Bhagat.
• We received complaint from Bar Council of Delhi that documents presented by Tomar seem forged: Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat.
• Delhi Police holds press conference over Jitender Singh Tomar's arrest.
• Delhi Police seeks five-day custody of Jitender Singh Tomar.

• Hearing begins in Tomar's alleged fake degree case.
• Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar reaches Saket Court.
• He further says: “I am acting as per law, I will continue to do so.”
• “I am still holding charge. I have orders from the competent authority,” adds Meena on his appointment as Delhi ACB Chief.  
• “Dir Vigilance's letter amounts to interfering in work of a policeman-could be held liable to face legal action,” says Meena.  
• Delhi ACB Chief MK Meena hits back, refuses to accept new orders from Vigilance Director.
• Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leaves from Delhi Secretariat to meet Union Minister Arun Jaitely.  
• AAP leader Ashutosh says Delhi Police is trying to declare Tomar a terrorist.
• Youth Congress members protest outside CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence demanding his resignation.
• Goel says he received a fax regarding Tomar's arrest at 3:11 pm, whereas according to the Constitution he should have been given prior information about the arrest of any member of Delhi Assembly.
• Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel says Delhi Police should have informed him before arresting Tomar. 
• Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi to address a press conference on Tomar's arrest issue at 5:30 pm today.
• Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay terms Tomar's arrest as a black day in the political history of the national capital. 
• Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi says police have thoroughly probed the case and every action has been taken according to the prescribed process. Bassi says Delhi Police PRO will brief the media in the evening.

• Commenting on Tomar's arrest, Union Minister Rajnath Singh says there is no question of Home Ministry's interference in any matter.
• As per reports, Tomar has reached the Vasant Vihar Police Station.
• First complaint came in January, and then again in February. We took cognisance of the matter after getting through verifications. He was given a lot of opportunities to produce original documents and file his reply, says KK Manan, Chairman, Delhi Bar Council.

• Hitting out at AAP, the former top cop says, the party will continue to cry foul but police is not involved in politics as it is accountable for its investigation to court.
• Kiran Bedi exudes confidence in Delhi Police says, the officials surely would have gathered strong evidence against Tomar and then gone ahead with the arrest.
• The AAP leader further says, appointment of Joint Commissioner as head of ACB is illegal as there is no such post.

• Delhi's electorate has given 67 Assembly seats, we won't spare anyone who tries to stop us from fighting this war against corruption, exhorts Sisodia.
• Is Tomar a terrorist, has he set off a bomb in Delhi to be arrested, then why so many policemen were sent to his residence to arrest him, says Sisodia.
• The college has clearly stated in an affidavit that Tomar was a student of that college and he attained his law degree from the particular institute.
• Emergency like situation is being created in Delhi through Lt Governor at a time when AAP govt is taking steps against corruption, alleges Delhi Dy CM.
• Corrupt leaders are trying to create an emergency like situation in Delhi, says AAP leader.
• AAP government's biggest achievement till date is that we have shaken the roots of corruption, maintains Sisodia.
• We have created a fear amongst corrupt officials, says Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
• Further hitting out at the BJP, Vishwas says Police officer MK Meena is the same person who had tried to frame him and Manish Sisodia in Gajendra Singh suicide case.
• Reacting to Tomar's arrest, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas says, the way LG Najeeb Jung appointed MK Meena as ACB chief shows that the LG and Centre are scared and are using Delhi Police. 
• Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisdia to address a press conference shortly.

• Ashutosh further says, PM Modi wants dictatorship in the country and not democracy.
• AAP leader Ashutosh speaks to media says, BJP government at the Centre is indulging in vendetta politics. He says courts should decide whether Tomar's papers are forged or not and Delhi Police has no business to get into this. 
• Congress leader Ajay Maken demands Tomar's resignation from Law Minister's post. Maken further says that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should take moral responsibility and step down.
• Ex-AAP leader Yogendra Yadav says Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government should come clean on the issue. Yadav says, he along with Prashant Bhushan had raised Tomar's degree issue in the party forum four months back. He further asks the AAP to make Tomar's degrees public.

  The real issue is not technicalities of Tomar's arrest; that's for courts to decide. Issue here is govt's and party's refusal to come clean. — Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) June 9, 2015

PB and I raised this question 4 months ago. If his degrees are genuine, why not make them public? Why hide behind court procedures? — Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) June 9, 2015

• Marlena criticises Delhi Police chief BS Bassi for saying that he has no information on Tomar's arrest. Earlier speaking to ANI, Bassi said he has no details regarding the minister's arrest.​

  30 policemen go to arrest Delhi law minister and Police Chief claims he didn't know abt it! How believable is that? https://t.co/ySEOaXzMUK — Atishi Marlena (@AtishiMarlena) June 9, 2015

• AAP member Atishi Marlena terms Arrest of Delhi law minister's arrest as a brazen attempt by the central govt to intimidate an uncompromising AAP government. 

  LG appoints new ACB chief, sanctions arrest of Delhi law minister. Not even a pretence of democracy as Centre tries to control Delhi govt! — Atishi Marlena (@AtishiMarlena) June 9, 2015

• Delhi Police will produce the AAP leader in Saket court at 2 pm today.
• Police sources say that Tomar has been arrested in the alleged fake degree case. An FIR was registered against him last night.
• Reacting to Tomar's arrest, Delhi BJP leader Nupur Sharma takes a dig at AAP. Here's what she tweeted:

#AAP ki degree pe sawaal, #AAP ke mantri ka Bar Council aur Delhi HC kare bura haal, phir bhi pooch-taach pe #AAP kare bawaal #Tomar — Nupur Sharma (@NupurSharmaBJP) June 9, 2015

• Police now taking Tomar to Vasant Vihar police station from Hauz Khas.
• AAP leader Ashuotsh slams the BJP for Tomar's arrest. Denouncing his party colleague's arrest the journalist-turned politician said that there is an emergency like situation in the national capital.
• Hauz Khas police station in south Delhi heavily barricaded and a large contingent of policemen have been deployed.

Tomar arrested by Delhi Police

Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh ​Tomar was today arrested in the alleged fake degree case. Police arrested the Aam Aadmi Party leader from his house this morning and took him to Hauz Khas police station for further questioning.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh confirmed Tomar's arrest on his Twitter account:

मंत्री जितन्द्र तोमर से बात हुई बगैर किसी नोटिस या पूर्व सूचना के दिल्ली पुलिस ने उन्हें गिरफ्तार कर लिया हौज खास थाने ले जाया जा रहा है — Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) June 9, 2015

Commenting on Tomar's arrest, Singh accused the BJP of indulging in vendetta politics. Shortly after the Law minister's arrest, the AAP leader spoke to ANI and hit out at Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi for targetting his party members.

"The entire matter concerning Jitendra Tomar is in the court. Even an answer was filed by the university, saying his degrees were not fake, but real.Then, why this arrest? Was this arrest made to create pressure? LG, Delhi Police Commissioner and Modi government are trying to scare us by court cases and jails? We are not afraid of these things... Our fight against corruption will continue," Singh said.

Tomar has been facing charges that academic certificate he submitted while filing nomination for the Delhi Assembly polls held in February this year was fake.

Delhi Police have registered FIR against Delhi Law minister under IPC Section 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B.

Tomar has claimed that he had completed his law education from the Tilak Manjhi Bhagalpur University in Bihar.

The AAP leader's counsel on May 27 had informed the HC his client, as per the records of a law college in Bihar, had studied there for three years and completed his degree.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher was further informed by Tomar`s counsel senior advocate AS Chandhiok that he was a bonafide student for three years in Bishwanath Singh Institute of Legal Study College in Munger.

Affidavit submitted to the court by Tomar`s counsel, which was filed by college`s principal, said as far as the "information regarding Tomar is concerned, the records reveal that Jitender Singh Tomar was a student of this college in LLB Part I, II, and III in the session 1994-95, 1995-96 and 1997-98, respectively".

Earlier, the university authorities had placed before the Delhi High Court in April its enquiry report stating that the serial number of the provisional certificate in the record showed the name of some other person and not that of Tomar.

The court had also sought reply from the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University (UP), from where the law minister said he had graduated in science. Bar Council members of Delhi, who wanted to be impleaded as a party in the petition, had informed the court that they had received information from Avadh University that Tomar's graduation degree is allegedly "fake".

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