Rail Bhawan Protest: Special Court stays Trial against Arvind Kejriwal & Ors

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj at the Rouse Avenue Court Complex has stayed the trial against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others in connection with a dharna held at Rail Bhawan in January 2014..The order was pronounced by Judge Bhardwaj after hearing the criminal revision preferred by Arvind Kejriwal and others. The order reads,.“Issue notice of this criminal revision to the respondent…It is submitted that the matter is listed before Ld. Trial Court for PE on 26.07.2019. Till the disposal of this criminal revision, proceedings before the Ld. Trial Court shall remain stayed.”.Earlier this month, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal had framed charges against Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Rakhi Birla and Somnath Bharti for commission of offence under Section 143/145/188 IPC and under Section 147/186/353/332 IPC read with Section 149 IPC. .The Court had, however, discharged AAP’s Ashutosh and Sanjay Singh from the case for lack of evidence on record against them..The protest at Rail Bhawan was organized to demand action against police officials who had refused to raid an alleged drug and prostitution racket in South Delhi..The FIR in the case was registered against Kejriwal and others for knowingly flouting the prohibitory order issued under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure and forming an unlawful assembly which created hindrances and obstructions to the duties of the police..As per the FIR, Kejriwal’s office was duly informed about the promulgation banning any protest, dharna, speech and assembly of more than five persons in areas near the North Block. A request was also made to him to protest at Jantar Mantar instead..Nonetheless, the protest was organized near Rail Bhawan, ultimately resulting in a physical altercation between the police and the protesters. Subsequently, a chargesheet was filed against Kejriwal and others..Read the order: