Punish Shaheen Bagh shooter harder if he has AAP link: Arvind Kejriwal

Kejriwal's comment came in the backdrop of the Delhi Police's investigation which found the Shaheen Bagh shooter, a 25-year old man named Kapil Gujjar, belongs to the AAP which is led by Kejriwal.

"The shooter should be punished no matter which party he belongs to. If he belongs to AAP, he should be punished double. If the normal punishment is 10 years jail term then he must get 20 years jail term if he is an AAP link," Kejriwal told media at a press conference held here just couple of days ahead of the polls.

However, Kejriwal in the same press conference hinted that linking the shooter with AAP is a poll ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In a message to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal said, "Everybody understand the poll ploy just two days before the elections. I urge Amit Shah to refrain from playing with the national security."

Gujjar on Feb 1 had fired at Shaheen Bagh, the place where several Muslim women and men are protesting against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) for over a month now, shouting "Jai Shree Ram".

Though officers of the Crime Branch claimed Gujjar has confessed that he is an AAP member, the shooter's family rejected the claim.

Kejriwal on Wednesday once again gave an open challenge to Shah to debate in the run up to the polls. Earlier the AAP convener had urged the BJP to announce its Chief Ministerial candidate and hold a debate with him in presence of two anchors.

(Image Credit: AAP Twitter)