New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested another accused in connection with the recent attack on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, officials confirmed.

The accused, Tahseen Syed, a friend of prime accused Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimji (41), was brought from Rajkot, Gujarat, to Delhi on Friday night for questioning. Police said he was confronted with Khimji to verify facts and was later taken into custody on Sunday.

What was Tahseen’s role?

According to investigators, Khimji had allegedly shared a video of Gupta’s Shalimar Bagh residence with Tahseen. In return, Tahseen sent him ₹2,000 and remained in regular contact before the alleged attack on the Chief Minister during a “Jan Sunwai” programme at her Civil Lines camp office last Wednesday.

Who is the prime accused?

Khimji, an autorickshaw driver from Rajkot, has a history of criminal cases. Between 2017 and 2024, five cases of assault and liquor possession were registered against him at Bhaktinagar police station. Preventive actions were also taken against him in 2017, 2020 and twice in 2022 under the Gujarat Prohibition Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure.

He was externed once in 2021 under Section 56 of the Bombay Police Act.

In 2017, Khimji allegedly struck a man on the head with a sword and beat him with a bat used for washing clothes.

In 2022, following a quarrel with his wife, he injured his own head with a blade to threaten family members, requiring nine stitches.

He was also allegedly involved in liquor smuggling.

The Delhi Police is questioning more than 10 people, including Khimji’s friends and relatives in Rajkot. His mobile phone has been seized and sent for forensic examination to check if any crucial data was deleted.

“If required, we can also take him to his native place in Rajkot as part of the investigation,” a source said.

Why did Khimji target the CM?

During interrogation, Khimji told police he had planned a protest at Delhi’s Ramleela Ground against the Supreme Court’s order on relocating stray dogs, drawing inspiration from activist Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement.

He has also claimed he attended the “Jan Sunwai” programme to raise the stray dog issue before the Chief Minister.

Khimji was produced before a court and sent to five days’ police custody.

According to Rajkot Police, he had travelled from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh to Delhi on 19 August to participate in protests against the apex court ruling on stray dogs.

PTI inputs