Delhi HC dismisses PIL alleging Kejriwal has Khalistani links

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal which alleged that he had links with 'Sikhs For Justice', the banned Khalistani terrorist organization, and had also accepted monetary benefits from it. The plea also sought the ban of the Aam Aadmi Party.

New Delhi:A Delhi High Court bench on Tuesday dismissed a plea that alleged ​​Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has links with banned organisation 'Sikhs For Justice' (SFJ) and other Khalistani forces. The bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla also asked the counsel for the petitioner not to file such frivolous petitions. The plea was filed by Congress leader Jagdish Sharma who also sought a high-level inquiry against Kejriwal.

The petition referred to allegations leveled by former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Kumar Vishwas. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had also assured Channi of an inquiry into his allegations. The home minister after considering the life threat to the whistleblower Kumar Vishwas, has also provided Y Category security to him. Considering the serious nature of the allegations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also made an announcement to be aware of these separatist forces and the party that is supported by these separatist forces.

A letter of Gurpant Singh Pannu, the founder member of Sikhs for Justice surfaced where it was mentioned that SFJ has given its support to AAP in the elections to the state assembly in 2017 in the recently conducted Punjab legislative assembly as well.

The High Court bench while dismissing the petition, however, said: "In your petition, you say that the authorities are cognisant of the letter of erstwhile Chief Minister of Punjab to the Union Home Minister. Where is the question of we directing for any inquiry? Please don't file such frivolous petitions. It is completely frivolous. Is there any reason to think that authorities will not take action or are not taking action?"

The petition also sought temporary suspension of AAP's recognition and also bar the party from contesting any elections till the inquiry is completed. The Aam Aadmi Party has made a clean sweep in Punjab after winning 92 of the 117 assembly seats.

(With agency inputs)