High Court notices on plea for prosecution of Kejriwal

Notices sent to Central and Delhi governments

Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Partyleader Arvind Kejriwal and the then EducationMinister Manish Sisodia conducting Secretariatwork during a dharna near Rail Bhavan. Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union and Delhi governments on a petition seeking orders for grant of sanction for prosecution of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Law Minister Somnath Bharti for staging a dharna near Rail Bhavan here in January, which the petitioner said led to chaos and anarchy.

Allegation

Petitioner Ajay Gautam has alleged that Mr. Kejriwal violated Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code by staging the protest, while he was Chief Minister, and had caused blocking of public roads as well as metro stations.

Mr. Gautam had earlier approached the Delhi Government and the lower court seeking sanction for prosecution of both Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Bharti.

Aggrieved at not getting a positive response, he approached the High Court.

‘Attempt to provoke public’

Justice Vibhu Bakhru of the High Court sought the response of both the Centre and the Delhi government on whether the two Aam Aadmi Party leaders could be prosecuted or punished for their alleged acts.

The case will come up for further hearing on November 9.

The petitioner alleged that Mr. Kejriwal and his party workers also tried to provoke the public by sending SMSes asking them to join the protest against the Delhi Police in a high security area where prohibitory orders were in force.

Mr. Kejriwal and his colleagues had staged a dharna demanding the suspension of three Station House Officers of the Delhi Police who had not cooperated with Mr. Bharti during his raid of a house in South Delhi where a drug and prostitution racket was allegedly being run.