New Delhi, Mar 28, 2025, IANS

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with other party leaders, for alleged violations of the Public Property Act. The case is currently being heard in Rouse Avenue Court, with the next hearing scheduled for April 18. The FIR was lodged following a directive from a Delhi court, which ordered the police to take action against Kejriwal and other leaders in response to a complaint filed by Shiv Kumar Saxena. Saxena provided evidence in court alleging that large posters and banners of AAP were illegally put up in the Dwarka area. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal, on March 11, issued the directive to file an FIR against Kejriwal and others regarding the defacement of public property following a complaint lodged by Saxena, who submitted visual proof of unauthorised banners displaying Kejriwal and other AAP leaders across the city. Taking serious note of the issue, the court stated that such unauthorised hoardings not only diminish the city's aesthetics but also pose a traffic hazard. The case has been registered under Section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007. The court emphasised that fatalities due to falling illegal hoardings have been reported in the past, making strict action necessary. In addition to Kejriwal, the court also ordered the registration of an FIR against former MLA Gulab Singh and former councillor Nitika Sharma. The Delhi Police filed a compliance report in the Rouse Avenue Court, confirming the FIR's registration. The matter dates back to 2019, when large hoardings were allegedly erected in Dwarka, leading to accusations of misuse of public funds. A complaint was filed at the time, and now, with the court's order, the police have initiated action. The development has triggered a stir in political circles. While AAP has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, opposition parties have started targeting the party over the allegations.