Court reserves order on plea against Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: A local court today reserved its order on a criminal complaint against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking his prosecution for allegedly exhorting voters to take bribe from Congress and BJP and vote for AAP in the last assembly elections.

Metropolitan Magistrate Babru Bhan fixed the matter for pronouncing order on the plea on December 19 after hearing arguments from complainant advocate Ikrant Sharma.

During the hearing, the counsel argued that Kejriwal had allegedly made the statements during his election rallies thrice and even Election Commission has issued notice to him for this.

Earlier, the officials of Sabzi Mandi Police Station had said in their action taken report, filed in pursuance to a court order, that remarks were allegedly made by Kejriwal at a public rally in Uttam Nagar area of West Delhi which does not fall in its jurisdiction and complaint has been transferred to Uttam Nagar Police Station.

On this, the complainant argued that the police has not gone into any other aspect and it has just said no offence is made out in the jurisdiction of Sabzi Mandi Police Station.

In his plea, Sharma has sought lodging of an FIR against Kejriwal for alleged offences including abetment, offering or accepting bribe and punishment for bribery under the IPC.

The court had on February 3 directed SHO of Subzi Mandi Police Station to file ATR on several issues, including on whether they have received any such complaint and what action they have taken.

On Sharma's complaint, the court had asked the police to enquire whether any cognisable offence was made out against Kejriwal and if so, whether any FIR has been registered. The court had also asked them to inform it about the status of its investigation.

The report has said the police had received a complaint in this regard and no FIR was registered.