Register criminal case for Kumar's allegations against Kejriwal
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Registering separate cases against the two former Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) leaders — Kumar Vishwas and Alka Lamba — for allegedly making "inflammatory statements" against AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s, the Punjab police on Wednesday served notices to the two leaders to appear before it “with evidence” on April 26.
Ropar police visited the homes of poet-cum-politician Kumar Vishwas and Congress leader Alka Lamba in Ghaziabad and New Delhi, respectively, and pasted notices at the doors of their residences.
Sharing the information in a tweet about a police team visiting his residence on Wednesday morning, Vishwas also warned that AAP supremo Kejriwal will one day “betray” Punjab.
“The Punjab Police visited in the morning. I am forewarning @BhagwantMann, whom I had inducted into the party, that the person sitting in Delhi, who is being allowed to play with the power of people, will one day betray you and Punjab,” tweeted Vishwas in Hindi.
Former MLA and Congress leader Alka Lamba, also taking to Twitter, said that the Punjab Police pasted a notice outside her Delhi home, summoning her for questioning in the case registered against Vishwas. She has been accused of backing the remarks made by Vishwas.
The development has drew the Opposition’s ire in Punjab. Slamming AAP, the Opposition parties has accused the Bhagwant Mann-led Government of acting like Kejriwal’s “puppet” and “using the force to silence critics”.
Confirming, Rupanagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sandeep Garg said that the Ropar police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the law against Kumar Vishwas, who had, in run up to Punjab polls in February, alleged that Kejriwal interacted with separatists, which AAP described as “malicious” and “unfounded”.
In a notice, Vishwas has been asked to produce evidence to support his allegations.
“The FIR has been registered on the basis of a complaint that Kumar Vishwas made wrong statements in his interviews for promoting enmity in society. It has been alleged that AAP workers faced violence during the elections due to the wrong statements of Vishwas,” said Garg.
“As a result of these statements and videos, the peaceful atmosphere of Punjab is likely to be disturbed. As a part of the investigation, notice has been served upon Kumar Vishwas to produce whatever evidence he has to support his allegations. The matter is being investigated as per facts and the law,” the SSP said.
He added, “When the police reached to serve the notice, asking him to join investigation, he was not home. If Vishwas fails to join the probe within 48 hours, he will be arrested following the due course of law.”
The complainant, stated to be an AAP supporter, has alleged that Vishwas gave “inflammatory statements” against Kejriwal on news channels and social media platforms, alleging links with separatist elements.
The complainant claimed that when he was roaming in villages along with AAP supporters for the redress of people’s grievances, some unknown masked men stopped them and called them “Khalistani”.
“Similar incidents have been regularly occurring. All this started after Kumar Vishwas gave inflammatory statements against AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on news channels or social media platforms alleging AAP links with separatist elements. As a result of these statements and videos, the peaceful atmosphere of the state of Punjab is likely to be disturbed,” said the official release issued by the Rupnagar police quoting the complainant.
The statement added, “As part of the investigation, a notice has been served upon Kumar Vishwas to produce whatever evidence he has to support his allegations”.
Though the case against Vishwas was registered on the complaint of an AAP worker at Rupnagar’s Sadar police station on April 12, the matter came to light on Wednesday when a Punjab Police team reached his Ghaziabad house to summon him to join investigation within 48 hours.
He has been booked under Section 125 of the Representation of People Act besides Sections 153, 153-A, 505, 502, 116, 143, 147, 323 and 341 of the Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place etc; making, publishing, or circulating any statement, rumour or report; criminal conspiracy, and other offences.
Rupnagar SP HS Atwal said that Lamba has been summoned for questioning in the case while pointing out that she had supported Vishwas’s “inflammatory statements” against Kejriwal.
She has been asked on what basis she supported the Vishwas’s claims, he said, adding that a police team had been sent to serve a notice to her to join investigation.
Vishwas had triggered a controversy days ahead of polls when he accused Kejriwal of wanting “to become the prime minister of independent Khalistan”.
Kejriwal and AAP remained under attack from both the Congress and the BJP over the issue and some AAP workers were also roughed up during the election campaign. The Centre went on to provide Y category security cover to Vishwas.