Economic Times: New Delhi: Saturday, February 03, 2018.
Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal today told the Delhi High Court that no FIR has been
lodged against him in Goa on the Election Commission's (EC) direction for his
bribery remarks during assembly polls there in January 2017.
The court was
hearing Kejriwal' plea challenging the EC's January 29 order in which it had
directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa to lodge an FIR against Kejriwal
for his remarks about bribes made at poll rallies in the state on January 7-8
last year.
Kejriwal's
lawyer told Justice Rekha Palli today that according to information received
under the RTI Act, no FIR has been lodged against him anywhere in Goa in
connection with the remarks.
The court,
thereafter, asked the lawyer for the EC to take instructions on whether any FIR
has been lodged, since during the last hearing the Commission had said such an
action has been taken.
The court
also said whether an FIR has been lodged or not, Kejriwal's plea challenging
the EC's letter was infructuous.
With the
observation, the court listed the matter for further hearing on February 26.
Kejriwal in
his plea has alleged that the poll panel's January 29, 2017 order had curtailed
his right to free speech.
During his
series of rallies in Goa between January 7-8, Kejriwal had appealed to voters
to "accept money from the Congress and BJP candidates but vote for the
AAP."
The BJP had
filed two complaints against Kejriwal seeking his prosecution under various
sections of Indian Penal Code for asking voters to accept money. Congress too
had condemned his statement.
The poll
panel had, thereafter, directed that a complaint be lodged against the Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP) leader under the provisions of the Representation of the
People Act dealing with bribing voters and relevant sections of the IPC.
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