Another complaint against Kejriwal for bribery remark

New Delhi, Feb 3 (IANS) A court here Tuesday asked Delhi Police to file reply to another complaint against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly asking voters to take bribes from other parties but vote for his party.

Metropolitan Magistrate Richa Gusain Solanki sought a status report from police on a complaint filed by advocate Ikrant Sharma and posted the matter for Feb 21.

Sharma alleged that making such a statement was not only against the model code of conduct but also amounted to criminal offence because the accused (Kejriwal) was promoting and instigating the public to accept bribes from erring politicians.

"Thus, the accused was not only promoting the offence but also spreading this message among the public. Hence, the act of the accused comes under the definition of criminal offences as mentioned in the Indian Penal Code," he said.

Therefore, he requested the court to summon, try and prosecute Kejriwal and also direct Delhi Police to register a case against him.

The court also posted for April 9 the hearing in a similar plea against Kejriwal for allegedly asking voters to take bribes from other parties but to vote for the AAP.

It was filed by advocate Arun Kumar of the Tis Hazari courts who accused Kejriwal of abetting bribery by asking voters to take bribes from the Congress and the BJP but to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party.

The advocate contended that Kejriwal, despite knowing that bribery was a crime, instigated voters to take bribes.

He said Kejriwal made the statement at a public rally Jan 18 in Uttam Nagar and again Jan 22 in Krishna Nagar.

The Election Commission has issued three notices to Kejriwal, asking him to desist from making such comments.