Published On : Mon, May 11th, 2015

Delhi police – AAP face off :Kejriwal, Sisodia asked to appear before court on May 15th

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NewDelhi/Nagpur:Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and four other AAP leaders, accused of violating prohibitory orders in New Delhi and obstructing public servants in discharge of their duty during an agitation, were on Monday directed to appear before a Delhi court on May 15.

Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain was irked that Mr. Kejriwal and other accused had not appeared before it even on the last date of hearing.

“No justifiable grounds for exemption from personal appearance are made out….Put up for appearance of accused persons and arguments on charge on May 15,” the magistrate said.

AAP lawyer Rishikesh Kumar had pleaded –

“Kindly give us time for tomorrow. They (accused) all will appear. I am giving undertaking that they will appear before the court tomorrow,” the counsel said.

Mr. Kejriwal and other leaders had staged a dharna outside Rail Bhavan demanding action against police officials who had refused to carry out a raid on their advise on an alleged drug and prostitution racket in South Delhi in January last year. They were later chargesheeted by the Delhi Police in connection with the case. All the accused were earlier granted bail by the court.

The charge sheet was 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).

Advocate Rishikesh Kumar, who appeared for the accused, assured the court that Mr. Kejriwal, Mr. Sisodia and other accused would positively appear before it on Tuesday.

“It has been submitted that accused number one (Kejriwal) and accused number two (Sisodia) are Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and remaining accused persons are senior members of the AAP and could not appear today due to their busy schedule. Perusal of the records shows that accused persons did not appear on the last date of hearing,” the court said warning them to appear on 15th, Friday.