NEW DELHI: A Mumbai Court on Friday acquitted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former CEO of Bank of Scotland Meera Sanyal, activist Medha Patkar, and five Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members for conducting a rally in Mumbai during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The accused were booked for holding an "unscheduled" rally in Mankhurd without prior permissions from the Mumbai traffic police.
The rally was held during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and the accused were charged under relevant sections of the Mumbai Police Act.
Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, and others including activist Medha Patkar and Meera Sanyal, were booked under various provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act pertaining to holding public rallies without prior permission from the police. Acquitting CM Kejriwal and others, Metropolitan Magistrate P K Deshpande observed that the police had failed to give the accused persons a written statement refusing them permission for the rally.
The rally in Mankhurd in north-east Mumbai was held as part of the poll campaign of AAP candidates Sanyal and Patkar. The Mumbai Police had claimed it was "unscheduled" and held without prior requisite permissions from the traffic police.
In March 2014, a complaint was lodged against Kejriwal and others at suburban Mankhurd police station. While CM Kejriwal, Sanyal and the other accused were present in the court Friday, Patkar was absent.