Not responsible for cop's death: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal today defended the eight persons arrested by Delhi Police for causing injuries to constable Subhash Tomar and booked for rioting and murder. Watch: Kejriwal defends arrested youths l Injured Delhi constable Subhash Tomar dies l 'Nobody came to see my father' l Protesters mourn constable's death l His death being politicised: Brother

The Delhi Police on Tuesday invoked murder charges against eight people, including a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, after the death of a constable who was severely beaten up by protesters at India Gate on Sunday.

The eight persons were on Sunday charged with attempt to murder, rioting and destruction of public property among other sections of IPC.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal alleged that the eight persons were held from different places and none of them were actually present at the spot where the constable was reportedly found in a injured state.

Kejriwal slammed the Delhi Police for having charged the youths with cases without any evidence. He alleged that police has failed to apprehend those actually involved in the incidents of stone-pelting at India Gate.

“Punish the the guilty. We are not responsible for inciting violence, government is trying to project as if we, General VK Singh and Ramdev are responsible.,” he retorted.

However, following the death constable Subhash Chand Tomar (47), who was battling for his life at the RML Hospital in Delhi, on Monday morning, the police decided to slap murder charges against the eight accused.

Those named in the FIR are Shankar Bisht, Nand, Shantanu, Kailash Joshi, Amit Joshi, Abhishek, Nafees Ahmad and Chaman, a member of AAP, the police said. All the eight have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC. They were arrested and released on bail on Monday.

In Pic: Delhi Police constable Subhash Tomar. "They have arrested innocent people who were not involved in any such incident just to prove that their actions of lathi charge, tear gas shelling and water cannon use were right. Police have arrested them from places where they were holding peaceful demonstrations," the party claimed.

The constable, who died, was posted in Karawal Nagar area and was called for maintaining law and order at India Gate area during the protests over the gang-rape of a 23-year-old girl on December 16.