In a new twist to the massage row, the man caught on video massaging the feet of jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain is a rape accused and not a licenced physiotherapist as claimed by the party.
According to official sources at Tihar Jail, the man Rinku, accused of raping his own daughter, is a prisoner charged under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The BJP hit out at AAP and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the man’s identity came to light and called it a “spa and massage party.”
The BJP demanded an apology from Kejriwal and said Jain shouldn't retain his post as a Minister "for a minute more". The Delhi Congress also accused Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia of "misleading" the people.
The AAP, responding to the allegations, called it a political witch-hunt. Earlier the party defended the video, saying Jain was receiving physiotherapy after two spinal surgeries.
Rinku, who was charged under Section 6 of the POCSO was also booked under Sections 506 (for criminal intimidation) 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by Jafarpur Kalan police station in Delhi. He was arrested last year after his daughter, a class 10 student, accused him of assaulting her.
The CCTV videos, that went viral last week, shows a man putting oil and gel on the legs of Jain. The videos, dated September 13, 14 and 21, have sparked a fierce row between the AAP and the BJP in the run-up to the Delhi civic elections next month. The Opposition BJP has launch a full-fledged poster war against the AAP.
At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia dared Kejriwal to respond to the fresh allegations "within an hour". He termed the AAP an anarchist criminal party, accusing it of defending the wrongdoing in the jail.
"Shameful @ ArvindKejriwal Doctors have confirmed that it is not Physiotherapy and moreover the Person giving massage to Saryendra Jain in Tihar Jail is a rapist, accused under the POCSO, and not a physiotherapist as claimed and endorsed by you!" BJP MP Manoj Tiwari tweeted
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala tweeted, “Rape accused Rinku was giving massage to Satyendar Jain. Rinku Accused under Pocso and IPC 376. So it was not a physiotherapist but a rapist who was giving maalish (massage) to Satyendar Jain! Shocking. Kejriwal must answer why he defended this and insulted physiotherapists.” Dismissing the allegations, AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the BJP was resorting to allegations because it is going to lose the (municipal) elections.
"Their slogan is ‘Badnaam Kiya hai, Badnaam Karenge' while Kejriwal's slogan is ‘Kaam Kiya hai, Kaam Karenge'. Be it Satyendar Jain's case, Manish Sisodia's case, Jasmine Shah's case or the recent ‘sting’ operation, BJP has absolutely no issue to raise in the elections," he alleged.
The AAP leader further said, “When Amit Shah was lodged in a Gujarat jail, a special jail was made and special treatment was given, which was never available to anyone before. The special treatment given to Shah has been recorded on papers by the CBI.
“It should be put out in public. The issue is not about special treatment to Satyendar Jain. The BJP is rattled because people are going to give a treatment (defeat) to the BJP on December 4 when the MCD polls happen.”
Hitting out at the AAP, Congress leader Alka Lamba urged the eight women MLAs of Delhi's ruling party and DCW Chairman Swati Maliwal to hold a press conference and question senior leaders of the party over the matter.
The Congress spokesperson alleged the AAP, which came to power with a promise of bringing a change, has now compromised with the security of the entire Tihar jail.
