New Delhi: AAP legislator from Narela Sharad Chauhan has been arrested by police in connection with the suicide of a woman worker of the ruling party, taking the total number of arrested party leaders to 12.

Chauhan and main accused Ramesh Bhardwaj were questioned by the crime branch of Delhi Police for several hours in the past four days in connection with the case.

Besides Chauhan and Bhardwaj, five others including the MLA’s associates Amit and Rajnikant have been arrested last night, said a senior police officer.

Bhardwaj was arrested by a police team from Sonipat on July 26. He was questioned for several hours in connection with the suicide of the woman, along with the local MLA of Narela.

The woman had consumed poisonous substance at her home in North-West Delhi’s Narela and died during treatment at LNJP Hospital on July 19.

The woman had filed a complaint against Bhardwaj for allegedly touching her inappropriately and a case of molestation was registered in June. The accused was arrested and later released on bail.

On July 20, Delhi Police had registered a case of abetement to suicide and handed over the entire matter to a Special Investigation Team.

The family members of the woman had claimed that she had gone into depression after her alleged molester Bhardwaj, an AAP colleague, was released on bail.

She had also alleged that the accused was being protected by the local AAP MLA.

The woman in a video recording had also levelled serious allegations against Bhardwaj, accusing him of pressuring her to “compromise” if she wanted to rise in the party and claimed himself to be “close to the local party MLA.

PTI