Poll affidavit case: Kejriwal gets interim relief from appearance

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted interim relief of exemption from personal appearance to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the trial court in connection with allegedly giving "misleading information" in his poll affidavit ahead of the 2013 assembly elections.

Justice A.K. Pathak, however, declined to stay the trial court proceedings in the case.

The court said the interim relief of exemption to Kejriwal before the trial court would continue till the next date, and listed the matter for further hearing on July 30.

Kejriwal, who was granted bail in the matter in December 2016, has sought a stay on the trial court proceedings claiming there was a defect in the summoning order.

An NGO has filed a complaint before a trial court alleging that Kejriwal had "wilfully misled" the Election Commission (EC) by concealing his correct address and suppressing the market value of his property.

The complaint was filed by NGO Maulik Bharat Trust, through its office-bearers, who alleged that Kejriwal "suppressed the actual figures of property owned by him" and deliberately furnished a wrong address of his property in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad.

The plea contended that "wilful concealment and suppression of correct address and value of the aforesaid property amounts to commission of a criminal offence under section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, punishable with six months of imprisonment and/or fine or both."

--IANS

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