CM slams city police on 'fake' cases against AAP

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the way Delhi Police is holding a meeting to discuss how to send the AAP MLAs to jail instead of providing security to women is shameful.

"Shameful that cops are meeting to discuss how to send AAP MLAs to jail. I wish they had spent a fraction of time and energy on providing security to women and improving law and order, which is worst today during (the Narendra) Modi regime," he said.

In a series of tweets, Kejriwal also shared a news which claimed that the Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) of the southern range of the city had called a meeting to plan the strategy as cases against the Aam Aadmi Party was not holding up in court.

"Fix responsibility. Who directed these false cases - Lieutenant Governor or Prime Minister? Were police officers given written directions by LG/PM? If yes, make written directions public.

"If not, the police officers who followed illegal verbal directions must face severe punishment," he said.

Nineteen Delhi MLAs from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) out of 22 were acquitted by the fast track court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Samar Vishal in the last five months.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, transport minister Kailash Gahlot, former minister Asim Ahmed Khan and Kumar Vishwas are among the AAP leaders getting relief in the 19 cases.

The reason cited by the courts for the acquittals among others include lack of evidence, "inordinate delays" in registering FIRs, filing charge sheet on the "basis of presumption" and "groundless allegations." In five cases, ACMM Vishal cited late filing of charge sheet without any cogent explanation by Delhi Police.

"The Lieutenant Governor is hand in glove with the central government. When AAP MLAs were acquitted, he called the Delhi Police chief and reprimanded them asking why did they get the acquittals," said Chief Minister official.