Delhi Court Orders FIR Against Kejriwal And AAP Leaders For Large Party Banners Installed In 2019

On Tuesday (11 March), the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi commanded the authorities to file a First Information Report (FIR) against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and other party leaders.

They are accused of misusing public funds for the installation of large party banners in Dwarka in 2019. The case was presided over by Neha Mittal, the additional chief judicial magistrate, Hindustan Times reported.

The court order comes several weeks after the AAP was dethroned by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Delhi assembly election. Kejriwal himself lost to BJP's Parvesh Verma in the New Delhi constituency.

Kejriwal is currently out on bail in relation to the Delhi excise policy case. The BJP had earlier alleged that AAP spent more money on advertising on certain schemes than actually spending on those schemes.

Citing data from an alleged Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, the BJP alleged that the Business Blasters Scheme was allotted Rs 54.08 crore, but its promotion cost Rs 80.02 crore.

Similarly, the Desh ke Mentors scheme received an allocation of Rs 1.9 crore, yet Rs 27.90 crore was allegedly expended on its advertisement. The Parali (Stubble) Management Scheme was given Rs 77 lakh, but its promotion used up Rs 27.89 crore.

Despite the construction of smog towers costing no more than Rs 20 crore, the BJP stated that the report alleged expenditure of Rs 5.88 crore was incurred on its advertising, expressing concerns over promotional costs.