HC refuses to entertain plea over Delhi CS-AAP MLAs tussle

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today refused to entertain a plea seeking immediate judicial intervention into the alleged assault on Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash by a few AAP MLAs during a meeting at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence here this week.

The plea was mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar which said the police is already looking into the incident and it would wait for the final outcome. “They (police) will take action in accordance with law. We will wait for the final outcome,” the bench said, adding that both sides have a different story according to media reports.

Advocate K S Wahi, in his plea, sought judicial intervention on the ground that people of the city would suffer if “elected (MLAs) and selected (bureaucrats)” fight among themselves. “Both the representatives have to work in accordance with the rules made for Delhi with regard to its functioning and administration,” the counsel submitted. The counsel urged the court for intervention, saying the alleged assault was premeditated and a “conspiracy” of all present with the motive to deter the bureaucrat from discharging his lawful duty.

The Delhi Police had yesterday lodged an FIR on a complaint by the chief secretary under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) pertaining to wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, causing hurt, criminal conspiracy, insult and obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty. The chief secretary was allegedly manhandled by a few AAP legislators at Kejriwal’s residence on the night of February 19.

The chief minister’s office, however, dismissed the accusation as “bizarre and baseless”. Prakash alleged in his complaint that Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 11 AAP legislators were present at the meeting at the chief minister’s residence, where they threatened to “implicate” him in false cases if the issue of releasing TV advertisements about the AAP government’s achievements was not resolved. Prakash said he was called by Kejriwal regarding an issue related to advertisements, which were not being released, while the AAP dispensation claimed the meeting was called to discuss complaints about the distribution of rations.