Delhi HC to hear plea on AAP foreign funding after polls

Saying there was "no urgency", the Delhi High Court Wednesday posted for Feb 18 a plea seeking registration of a criminal case against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and others for allegedly receiving foreign funds in violation of law.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S. Endlaw said that as election in Delhi was around the corner, the case would be heard later.

"We will consider the issue some other time. There is no such urgency in the issue. We will hear it after the election," the bench said, and posted the case for Feb 18.

Voting in Delhi will be held Feb 7.

The high court was hearing a plea filed by advocate M.L. Sharma who sought direction from the court to register a criminal case against Aam Aadmi Party members under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and to conduct day-to-day trial proceedings under court supervision in the interest of justice.

The AAP, however, rejected the allegation of illegally receiving foreign funds and had told the court last year that it got donations worth Rs.30 crore from Indian citizens only, out of which Rs.8.5 crore came from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

The party said it has "very small amount of funds and also the most transparent method of political funding amongst all parties".

Petitioner Sharma made Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Shanti Bhushan as parties in the case.