Eyesore, public nuisance': Delhi court orders FIR against Arvind Kejriwal over alleged misuse of funds
A Delhi court on Tuesday directed the police to file an FIR against former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and others in a case of public property defacement. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal passed the order based on a complaint by Shiv Kumar Saxena, who provided visual evidence of banners featuring Kejriwal and other AAP leaders placed illegally across the city.
Mar 12, 2025, 05:51 IST
Court cites public nuisance and safety concerns
The court noted that the large-sized banners installed by Kejriwal, former MLA Gulab Singh, and former Dwarka Councillor Nitika Sharma not only defaced public property but also posed traffic hazards. "Deaths caused by the collapse of illegal hoardings are not new in India," the court observed, emphasizing the seriousness of the offence.
As of March 12, 2025, there is no publicly available information indicating that a Delhi court has ordered a First Information Report (FIR) against former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal concerning the alleged misuse of funds. However, Kejriwal has faced legal challenges in the past. Notably, in March 2024, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case related to the Delhi liquor policy. This arrest marked the first time a sitting chief minister in India was detained under such circumstances. The opposition alliance criticized the arrest, labeling it a fabricated case orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Following his arrest, Kejriwal's bail petitions were dismissed by the Delhi High Court. However, the Supreme Court granted him interim bail from May 10 to June 1, 2024, to allow him to campaign for the elections. After his interim bail expired, Kejriwal surrendered to Tihar Jail on June 2, 2024, and was subsequently sent to judicial custody. Despite multiple bail pleas, he remained in custody until the Supreme Court granted him interim bail on July 12, 2024, in the money laundering case. Nonetheless, due to a separate arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the same case, he continued to be incarcerated. The Supreme Court eventually granted him bail on September 13, 2024, leading to his release after nearly six months in jail.
During his incarceration, Kejriwal resigned from his position as Chief Minister on September 21, 2024, and Atishi Marlena was sworn in as his successor.
Regarding allegations of fund misuse, in April 2023, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Kejriwal of misappropriating public funds for the renovation of his official residence in Delhi. An investigation was initiated on April 29, 2023, with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the expenditures related to the renovation. The Vigilance Department also pursued inquiries into potential financial irregularities associated with the project.
It's important to note that while these past events highlight legal challenges faced by Kejriwal, there is no current information confirming a court-ordered FIR against him for fund misuse as of the specified date.