Court asks police about 'threat perception' of those seeking FIR against Kejriwal

A court here on Thursday directed Delhi Police to file a report on allegations that some people are receiving threats for filing a plea seeking an FIR against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his brother-in-law and two others over alleged irregularities in grant of contracts for building roads and laying of sewer lines in the city.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra asked the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police to immediately analyse the situation on the allegation by the complainants -- Rahul Sharma and Viplav Awasthy -- that they are receiving threats.

The court is hearing a criminal complaint filed by founder of Roads Anti-Corruption Organisation (RACO) Rahul Sharma and organisation secretary Awasthy.

The complainants' counsel Kislay Pandey told the court that they are getting serious threats and are being pressurised to withdraw the application.

The court directed police to assess the threat perception and if required provide necessary security to them.

The court asked police to file a report on the protection measure by February 13.

Meanwhile, police has sought more time to file a detailed report.

The court granted more time to police to file a detailed action taken report on the complaint and listed the matter for further hearing on February 25.

Meanwhile, Public Works Department (PWD) filed a compliance report of the court order directing it to freeze the records pertaining to the contract and keep those in safe custody.

Sharma has sought registration of FIR against Kejriwal, his brother-in-law Surender Kumar Bansal, the proprietor of a construction company, and an officer of the Public Works Department (PWD) under various sections pertaining to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

Sharma's counsel Pandey told the court that they cheated the government and defrauded the government treasury to the tune of over Rs 10 crore in criminal connivance with P.K. Kathuria, who was posted then as an Executive Engineer in Delhi PWD.

He alleged that Bansal, who is proprietor of Renu Construction, operated through several dummy firms to obtain government contracts to build and improve roads and sewer lines in connivance with officials of the PWD.

He further alleged that the work never got executed, whereas all the payments were cleared under the pressure of Kejriwal.

--IANSA

akk/rn