Delhi court to hear cases against Kejriwal on January 25

This August 26, 2012 photo shows AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal after his detention near Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's residence, during a protest.

A Delhi court on Saturday fixed January 25, 2014 for hearing five cases including three in which Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and members of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were charged with alleged unlawful assembly and other offences during their protest in 2012.

Mr. Kejriwal is charged with allegedly violating prohibitory orders during the protest and leading a march to the residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the coal blocks allocation scam.

Metropolitan Magistrate Jay Thareja fixed the cases for January 25, 2014 and directed both the Delhi Police and the accused persons including Mr. Kejriwal’s ministerial colleague Manish Sisodia to examine the evidences filed along with the charge sheets.

“Both the sides have been directed to examine the evidence collected by the state (police) and identify instances of individual acts of the accused persons resulting in criminal offences,” the court said.

It also allowed the pleas of Mr. Kejriwal, Mr. Sisodia and various other accused for exemption from personal appearance before it for Saturday.

The court was hearing five separate cases lodged in 2012 against various members and top leaders of AAP in connection with the protests staged by them.