Kumar Vishwas approaches HC for quashing Punjab Police FIR
Former AAP leader and poet has been booked by Punjab Police in Rupnagar for making provocative statements against Arvind Kejriwal in the run-up to the assembly elections
Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and poet Kumar Vishwas has approached the Punjab and Haryana high court, seeking the quashing of a first information report (FIR) registered by Punjab Police in Rupnagar on April 12. The plea will be taken up by the bench of justice Anoop Chitkara on Wednesday.
Vishwas was booked under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to promoting enmity between groups, criminal conspiracy and publishing or circulating a news with intent to create enmity on the grounds of religion and race besides under the Representation of People Act, on the complaint of one Narinder Singh.
The allegations are that Vishwas made provocative statements against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in an interview, claiming his involvement with nefarious and anti-social elements. It was also alleged that Vishwas made statements during the course of the recent Punjab elections to create unrest and communal instability .
The plea filed by Vishwas alleges sheer abuse of the process of law and terms it politically motivated. “The FIR and the proceedings emanating therefrom are mala fide and a blatant attempt to breach the petitioner’s fundamental right of freedom to speech. The manner in which the investigating agency is proceeding, it is apparent that it is trying to curtail the liberty of the petitioner by adopting a procedure unknown to law,” it alleges.
Vishwas has claimed that after the AAP formed government in Punjab, a series of complaints and FIRs have been registered against its political opponents just to “harass” them. The plea refers to FIRs against Delhi BJP leaders Navin Kumar and Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, and BJP Mahila Morcha leader Priti Gandhi, all registered in Punjab. “The FIR has been registered to wreck vengeance against political opponents,” the plea said.
Police summons: Punjab Cong leaders to accompany Alka Lamba
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Congress Legislative Party (leader Partap Singh Bajwa and other state leaders will accompany party leader Alka Lamba when she appears before the Rupnagar police on Wednesday.
Lamba has been booked for allegedly making false statements against AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the run to the Punjab elections. Warring said the Congress expresses complete solidarity with her.
“Lamba was already here in Punjab as she was supposed to appear before the police today. However, apparently to ensure that their instrument of surrender might get overshadowed by Lamba’s appearance before police, the Aam Aadmi Party government decided to postpone the summons by a day,” he alleged in a statement.
The Punjab Youth Congress will also stage a demonstration in Rupnagar on Wednesday to protest against the police summons to Lamba.
