Delhi CM attack: CCTV shows accused surveying residence in pre-planned assault, criminal record emerges

Dubai: New details have emerged in the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, as August 19 CCTV footage shows the accused surveying her Shalimar Bagh residence.

The video indicates that the man conducted a recce and even recorded a clip outside the CM’s private home a day before the assault, lending weight to claims that the incident was premeditated.

The attacker, identified as 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya, hails from Rajkot, Gujarat.

He was arrested on Wednesday after he assaulted CM Gupta during her weekly Jan Sunvai (public hearing) programme at her Civil Lines residence. Police have since confirmed that Rajesh has a criminal past, with five cases registered against him at Bhaktinagar Police Station in Rajkot.

He has been acquitted in four cases, while one remains pending in court, with the next hearing scheduled for September 9.

Police sources said they are interrogating Rajesh to ascertain the motive and have contacted Gujarat Police for further information. “We are checking whether this was an individual act or if there is a larger conspiracy behind it,” a senior officer said.

The attack unfolded around 8am on Wednesday as Gupta interacted with citizens, a practice she continues weekly despite security concerns. Eyewitnesses said Rajesh first handed her some papers before suddenly lunging at her. Ministers present at the event said he pulled her by the hair, forced her to the ground, and was only stopped when people and security intervened.

Gupta suffered injuries to her head, shoulder, and hand. Doctors later confirmed her condition is stable. Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva praised her resilience, saying, “She is a strong leader. Despite this attack, she has not cancelled her programmes. Jan Sunvai (public hearing) will continue.” He also dismissed reports of stone-throwing or slapping as “fabricated.”

Delhi Ministers Parvesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed the assault was clearly pre-planned. “The attacker had been conducting surveillance outside the CM’s home for nearly 24 hours. He had no documents related to grievances, only the intent to attack. The CCTV footage now confirms this,” Verma said. Sirsa added that Rajesh had previously visited Gupta’s Shalimar Bagh home and filmed it.

Meanwhile, Rajesh’s family in Rajkot painted a different picture. His mother, Bhanu Ben, said he suffers from mental health issues and often lashes out at relatives.

“He attacks me and others at home when unwell. We couldn’t afford his treatment. Outside, he behaved normally, feeding stray animals and speaking politely with neighbours,” she told reporters. Some locals described him as “quick-tempered but harmless,” while others suggested he may have been drunk.

The attack has drawn sharp political reactions. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned the incident, questioning the Home Ministry’s oversight of Delhi Police. “If the Chief Minister herself is unsafe, how can the ordinary citizens of Delhi feel secure?” she asked.

Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also denounced the violence, posting on X: “In a democracy, differences of opinion are acceptable, but there can be no place for violence.”

Delhi Police Commissioner Shashi Bhushan Kumar Singh has ordered an internal enquiry into the breach. Security has since been tightened at both Gupta’s Civil Lines residence and her private Shalimar Bagh home.

With CCTV footage revealing surveillance and Rajesh’s criminal record under scrutiny, investigators are now probing whether the attack was the act of a mentally unstable man — or part of a larger, calculated conspiracy against the Delhi Chief Minister.

-- With inputs from ANI and IANS