Delhi Assembly holds four, including ex-CM Kejriwal, in contempt of House over Phansi Ghar

Delhi Assembly holds ex-CM Kejriwal, ex-Speaker Goel, and deputies in contempt for failing to appear over the "Phansi Ghar" controversy.

New Delhi

Speaker Vijender Gupta at the purported site of the gallows, as stated by the AAP government. (HT Archive)

The Delhi Legislative Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday issued formal letters, holding former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former speaker Ram Niwas Goel, and their former deputies, Manish Sisodia and Rakhi Birla, in contempt of House and the Privileges Committee for their non-appearance over notices issued in the Phansi Ghar row.

In an official communique sent by the secretariat to the four, it said that the Privileges Committee has recommended that appropriate action be taken by the House. The secretariat said that the committee had examined records, correspondence and procedural provisions, before issuing notices repeatedly and giving them adequate opportunity to appear before the House.

An official aware of the proceedings said, “The committee’s conclusions were reached after noting that there was no stay or direction from any court restraining the proceedings and the notices have been issued to the individuals concerned for appearance before the panel.”

The issue refers to a “Phansi Ghar” (gallows chamber) publicly showcased by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government as a historical execution chamber on the assembly premises in 2022. It became a political flashpoint after Speaker Vijender Singh, earlier this year, showed maps and shared other details, claiming that it was a lift chamber used for transporting tiffins and not an execution room.

The report recorded that their absence from committee sittings on November 13 and November 20, 2025, remained unexplained despite repeated communication.

The development follows proceedings of the Delhi Legislative Assembly earlier this month, when the House adopted the first report of the Committee of Privileges after a motion was moved, agreeing with the report presented on January 6, 2026.

Officials said the letters issued on Tuesday formally communicate the committee’s findings and the House’s adopted recommendations to the individuals concerned for further necessary action under Assembly rules.