It all began with Congress MLA from Mandawali Meera Bharadwaj, whose house was burgled yesterday, complaining to the Speaker that the Mandawali Police Station was not investigating the case properly. She raised the issue interrupting a private resolution presented by Opposition BJP members on making the Yamuna pollution free.

Demanding the removal of the Mandawali SHO and DCP, East, Balaji Srivastava, she said that they had goofed up the investigation of a number major crimes in the area, including the probe into the murder of The Indian Express correspondent Shivani. Bharadwaj alleged that the Police Commissioner did not show enough interest in her case and told her it is up to the DCP to investigate the case and that he would speak to the DCP.

On hearing this, the Congress MLA took to their feet demanding that ``the Police Commissioner present himself at the House to apologise.''

Speaker Prem Singh's plea that he would personally talk to the Police Commissioner and ensure that Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit also does the same, fell on deaf ears.

The Congress members were by then baying for V.N. Singh's immediate transfer leading to the adjournment of the House.

Assembly Secretary Ajay Maken said: ``How can there be a theft in the house of a MLA who is supposed to be the chairman of the local thana committee.''

In her reply later in the day, the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit feared that ``MLAs were being targetted for such crimes.''

She assured the House that an inquiry would be ordered into the robbery at MLA Bharadwaj's house and that the case would be handed over to the Crime Branch of the east District.

Dikshit also lamented that the Union Home Ministry was not taking the deteriorating law and order situation seriously enough, ``by this recent robbery it has become apparent how lightly even the thieves are taking the matter. The DCP of the area will personally monitor the inquiry.''