Delhi CM Attack: Second Suspect Nabbed in Conspiracy Probe

Delhi Police arrested a second suspect, Tahseen Syed in connection with the shocking assault on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing at her Civil Lines camp office on August 20, 2025. Syed, a close associate of the primary accused, Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimji, was apprehended after being brought from Rajkot, Gujarat, for questioning, raising suspicions of a broader conspiracy behind the attack.

The incident occurred during Gupta’s weekly “Jan Sunwai” program, where Khimji, a 41-year-old autorickshaw driver from Rajkot, allegedly slapped the Chief Minister and grabbed her by the hair before being subdued by security personnel. Investigations revealed that Khimji had sent a video of Gupta’s Shalimar Bagh residence to Syed, who transferred Rs 2,000 to him and maintained regular contact prior to the attack. Police suspect Syed’s involvement in planning the assault, prompting a deeper probe into their communications and financial transactions.

Khimji, who has a troubling criminal history, faces multiple charges, including attempt to murder. Rajkot police records show he has five prior cases between 2017 and 2024, involving assault and illicit liquor smuggling. In a 2017 incident, Khimji attacked a person with a sword and a bat, while in 2022, he self-inflicted head injuries with a blade during a domestic dispute, requiring nine stitches. He was also externed from Rajkot in 2021 under the Bombay Police Act. Delhi Police have seized his mobile phone for forensic analysis to determine if critical evidence was deleted and are questioning over ten individuals, including Khimji’s friends and family in Rajkot, to uncover potential accomplices.

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Further investigation revealed Khimji’s initial plan to attack Gupta with a knife, which he abandoned due to tight security at her residence. Sources indicate he acquired a knife from a fruit vendor near New Delhi Railway Station but discarded it en route to the Chief Minister’s office. Police are actively searching for the weapon, which could serve as key evidence. Khimji claimed he intended to protest at Ramleela Ground against a Supreme Court ruling on stray dog relocation, likening his actions to social activist Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement. He traveled from Ujjain to Delhi on August 19, 2025, for this purpose, according to Rajkot police.

Following the attack, Khimji was remanded to five-day police custody, while Syed, detained on Friday night and arrested on Sunday, is expected to face court alongside him. The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of public officials during open forums, prompting a temporary shift of Gupta’s security to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) before reverting to Delhi Police, who have since bolstered her protection with additional personnel.

Chief Minister Gupta, undeterred, vowed to continue her public engagements. Speaking at an event in Gandhi Nagar on August 22, 2025, she declared, “I will not be afraid, will not get tired, and will keep fighting for Delhi’s rights.” The ongoing investigation aims to determine whether the attack was a lone act or part of a larger plot, with police pursuing leads in both Delhi and Rajkot to ensure all conspirators are brought to justice.

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