Kejriwal fails to appear before Sonepat court again

Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal did not appear in the Sonepat court once again, on Thursday, in the criminal complaint filed against his remarks accusing the BJP government in Haryana of “poisoning” the Yamuna.

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However, his lawyer filed an objection petition, saying that the local court did not have the jurisdiction to run a trial in the case, and should be heard in a special court.

On the other hand, the public prosecutor sought a time to reply. The court has fixed May 31 as the next date for hearing.

The complaint was filed by Ashish Kaushik, Executive Engineer of the Rai Water Works, in Sonepat on January 29. He had alleged that Kejriwal spread misinformation and caused panic among residents of Delhi and Haryana with his remark.

The petitioner demanded that Kejriwal be summoned, prosecuted and punished under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Acting upon the petition filed by the state government through the State Disaster Management Authority on January 29, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Neha Goyal, had asked him to appear in person before the court on February 17, but he did not appear.