Chandigarh: Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday stayed the arrest of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and poet Kumar Vishwas in a case registered against him for his alleged statements against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Vishwas had moved the high court last week, seeking quashing of the FIR registered against him.
The high court had heard the petition on April 27 and then reserved its verdict on the matter for Monday. Punjab Police on April 12 filed an FIR against Kumar Vishwas in Rupnagar town for 'inflammatory statements' against AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal in the run-up to the February 20 state assembly elections.
On April 21, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) demanded immediate cancellation of the FIR registered against Congress leader Alka Lamba and Kumar Vishwas, stating that it had only been registered to settle the personal agenda as they were critical of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
In a letter to Punjab Police DGP VK Bhawra, Senior Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said that Punjab Police have no jurisdiction to register an FIR because the alleged statements on which the FIR is based, "were allegedly made in Delhi against a person who is also based in Delhi. While no criminal offence is made from the purported statements, even if these did, the Ropar/Punjab Police have no jurisdiction to register an FIR."
The Congress leader further said that this is not just a misuse of power and authority, but total abuse of power.
"Needless to add, this FIR will not stand any legal security with the likelihood of the concerned police officers getting censured for their action aimed at pleasing their political bosses remotely based in Delhi," he added.
The Punjab Police summoned Congress leader Alka Lamba to appear before the special investigation team at Sadar Rupnagar police station in connection with her alleged derogatory statement against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ahead of Punjab Assembly polls.
Vishwas, who was a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party had alleged that Kejriwal had connections with separatists in Punjab, and those having sympathy with separatists used to come to his house for meetings during the last assembly polls.