16 Reasons Why Arvind Kejriwal Was Arrested, Sent to Tihar Jail

India

oi-Nairita

New Delhi, May 21: Rubbing salt on their wounds, Patiala House Court on Wednesday, May 21 sent Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP ) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Tihar Jail till May 23.

Kejriwal has been sent to judicial custody in connection with criminal defamation case filed by senior BJP leader and former President of the party -- Nitin Gadkari.

Check why Kejriwal has been sent to jail:

1. In his fight against corrupted leaders, Kejriwal had listed out names of the most corrupt politicians in the country on Jan 31, 2014. The list included Suresh Kalmadi, Nitin Gadkari, Sushilkumar Shinde, BS Yeddyurappa, Kapil Sibal, Mulayam Singh, Kamal Nath, Veerappa Moily, Ananth Kumar, Anurag Thakur, Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, P Chidambaram, Alagari, Kanimozhi, A Raja, Tarun Gogoi, Mayawati, Naveen Jindal.

2. The AAP convenor, who had won the Delhi assembly elections and later resigned from the post within 49 days on Feb 14, had vowed to remove all corrupt politicians.

3. Gadkari on Feb 1 had served a legal notice to Kejriwal stating that the AAP leader's remark against him was false. Gadkari also claimed that Kejriwal had tried to tarnish the BJP leader's image.

4. Gadkari also had asked Kejriwal to tender his apology within three days. The BJP leader had also threatened to sue the AAP chief if there was no apology from him within three days, i.e. Feb 4.

5. Gadkari on Feb 8 had filed a defamation case against Kejriwal in a court in Delhi and had claimed that Kejriwal tarnished his image by calling him corrupt. The complaint was filed before metropolitan magistrate Gomati Manocha.

6. Gadkari's complaint against Kejriwal said, "Kejriwal has deliberately released the list of India's most corrupt people mentioning his (Gadkari's) name in a grossly irresponsible manner. Kejriwal has deliberately tried to malign (Gadkari's) image though he is not involved in any wrongful or corrupt act."

7. Gadkari requested the court to take action against Kejriwal and prosecute him for defaming him.

8. On Feb 28, the court had summoned Kejriwal as an accused in the criminal defamation complaint, observing that statements allegedly made by the AAP leader have the effect of "harming the reputation" of the complainant.

9. Kejriwal appeared before Patiala House Court on May 21. The court asked him if the AAP leader was looking for "some exceptional treatment".

10. Kejriwal, who appeared before the court in pursuance to the summons issued against him, told Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha that he was ready to give an undertaking that he will appear before the court but refused to furnish bail bond to secure bail.

11. During the hearing, the magistrate observed, "I completely agree but why he (Kejriwal) will not furnish bail bond. What is the problem. There is a procedure and why should we follow different procedure in this case."

"I agree he will appear in the court but the procedure is that a person has to file bail bond of Rs 10,000. Are you looking for some exception treatment?"

12. Kejriwal, who also argued in the court, told the judge that he did not commit any heinous crime and added that he was not looking for any exceptional treatment.

13. "This is my principle that when I have not done anything wrong, I will not seek bail. I am ready to go to jail," he said.

14. Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Rahul Mehra, who appeared for Kejriwal, told the magistrate that these cases are of political nature and as per the principle of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), they will not furnish bail bond. Bhushan also argued that there was no possibility that Kejriwal would tamper with the evidence or influence the witnesses and filing of undertaking was correct.

15. Senior advocate Pinki Anand, who appeared for Gadkari, opposed the contentions of defence counsel, saying there was no procedure in law to furnish undertaking and law should not vary for anyone.

16. The court finally sent Kejriwal to judicial custody for two days and he will be present before the court once again on May 23. He will be lodged in prison number 4, Tihar Central Jail PRO Sunil Gupta said.

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