HC junks plea for probe against AAP, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, March 15

Terming it as “completely frivolous”, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL filed by a Congress leader seeking a high-level probe against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for their alleged links with Khalistani separatists.

Home Minister in the know

You say the authorities are cognisant of the letter of erstwhile CM of Punjab to Union Home Minister (on AAP’s alleged links with separatists). Where is the question of us directing any inquiry? HC Bench

“You say that the authorities are cognisant of the letter of erstwhile Chief Minister of Punjab to the Union Home Minister. Where is the question of us directing any inquiry? Please don’t file such frivolous petitions. It is completely frivolous. Is there any reason to think that the authorities will not take action or are not taking action?” a Bench led by acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi said. The petition – which sought temporary suspension of AAP’s recognition and debarring it from contesting any elections till the probe against it was over – came five days after the party won 92 of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab.

Petitioner Delhi Congress leader Jagdish Sharma had sought an investigation into the allegations that AAP and its convener Kejriwal had links with banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and other Khalistani organisations and that they received funds from them to contest the elections in Punjab.

Sharma referred to a letter by former Punjab CM Charanjeet Singh Channi levelling the same allegations and former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas’ statement on the issue. “Taking into account this letter, the CM of Punjab has also written a letter to Amit Shah (Home Minister) for investigating this matter, that is, the connection of AAP and Kejriwal with these separatists,” the petition read.