New Delhi:
A Delhi court was on Friday informed by police that an FIR was filed against former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and others for allegedly misusing public money by putting up large hoardings in the national capital in 2019.
Delhi Police made the submission in its compliance report filed before additional chief judicial magistrate Neha Mittal.
“Copy of FIR has been filed in compliance of order dated March 11, 2025. A copy of FIR and status report have been supplied to the counsel for the complainant (Shiv Kumar Saxena),” the judge noted.
The judge on March 11 directed police to lodge the FIR on a complaint that has alleged violation of Prevention of Defacement of Property Act.
The court has posted the hearing on April 18 after the police sought time to investigate the matter, saying the “matter is very old”.
“Put up for filing of further status report on April 18, 2025,” the judge said.
The police informed the court in its one-page status report that the FIR was lodged on March 26 at Dwarka Police Station and the investigation was underway.
“It is, therefore, requested that some time is required to complete the investigation as the matter is very old,” the police said.
Aside from Arvind Kejriwal, the court had ordered the FIR against former MLA Gulab Singh and then Dwarka councilor Nitika Sharma, for installing “large-sized” banners.
The complaint filed in 2019 alleged that Mr Kejriwal, then Matiala MLA Gulab Singh (AAP) and then Dwarka A ward councilor Nitika Sharma “deliberately misused public money by putting up large-sized hoardings” at various places in the area.
While ordering the FIR, the judge noted that the complainant had submitted visual evidence with the date and time indicating the illegal banners bearing the names and photos of the accused persons, including Mr Kejriwal.
The judge said that “hanging a banner board or affixing hoardings” amounted to defacement of property under Section 3 of the Act.
The complaint for registration of FIR against Mr Kejriwal and others was dismissed by a magisterial court in September 2022, following which a sessions court on January 21, directed the magistrate to decide afresh the matter.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Hindkesharistaff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
