File Photo: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Press Trust of India)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and three other AAP leaders, accused of violating prohibitory orders and obstructing public servants in discharge of their duty during an agitation, today appeared in a Delhi court.
Mr Kejriwal and four others appeared in court in pursuance to the direction of Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain, who was earlier irked that the accused had not appeared before him even on the last date of hearing.
While Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia and AAP leaders Rakhi Birla, Somnath Bharti and Ashutosh were present in the court, Sanjay Singh sought exemption from personal appearance for the day on the ground that he was out of station. His plea was allowed.
They were chargesheeted by the Delhi Police in connection with staging a protest against police officials outside Rail Bhavan last year. All accused were earlier granted bail by the court.
During the hearing, senior advocate HS Phoolka and advocate RK Wadhwa, appearing for Mr Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, moved an application seeking certain documents which were not supplied to them with the charge sheet.
The court directed the SHO of Parliament Street and the investigating officer of the case to supply copy of deficient documents, including two CDs and complete transcript of speech to the accused.
The court fixed August 4 for hearing arguments on framing of charges against the accused.
The court had earlier directed the leaders to appear before it, saying there was "no justifiable ground" for their exemption from personal appearance.
Mr Kejriwal and other leaders had staged a 'dharna' outside Rail Bhavan demanding action against police officials who had refused to carry out raid on an alleged drug and prostitution racket in South Delhi in January last year.
The six accused were chargesheeted by the police for allegedly violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC and also obstructing public servants in discharge of their official duty.
The police had chargesheeted them under various sections of the IPC, including 145 (joining and continuing in an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public function), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty).
In its charge sheet, the police had claimed that on January 19 last year, the Assistant Commissioner of Police had imposed prohibitory orders in North Block, South Block, Vijay Chowk areas near Rail Bhavan and Parliament Street.
On January 20, 2014, Mr Kejriwal and other AAP leaders assembled at the Rail Bhavan chowk defying the prohibitory orders, it had said.
The police had alleged that on being told about the prohibitory orders, Mr Kejriwal had told the cops that he would go to the then Home Minister's office at North Block in his car and also laid a condition that media persons and his supporters would accompany him.
The charge sheet had further claimed that Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia and other AAP leaders along with 250-300 supporters defied the orders and started moving towards the then Home Minister's office.
When the police officials present there tried to stop them with barricades, these leaders instigated their supporters and they manhandled policemen, it had alleged.
According to the police, Kejriwal and his supporters then sat on a 'dharna' at the chowk defying the prohibitory orders.
The charge sheet had said when Kejriwal and his supporters were stopped at the barricades at Rail Bhavan chowk, they raised slogans against the police, the central government and the Home Ministry and tried to move forward by manhandling the police officials present there.
When the protesters were stopped, Mr Kejriwal declared that he would stage 'dharna' for the next 10 days at Rail Bhawan chowk, it had said. He sat there and gave instigating speeches, the police had alleged.
Mr Kejriwal had demanded immediate suspension of the "corrupt" officials who refused to act in the interest of the public whose cause Somnath Bharti had taken up, it had said.
Mr Bharti had created a controversy in January last year when he went to a locality in his constituency in Malviya Nagar, claiming a drug and prostitution ring was being run from a residence and demanded that the police raid the place.