New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a plea moved by Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha (RS) Member of Parliament (MP) Sandeep Kumar Pathak seeking a direction to the prison authorities to allow him the right of physical visitation and interview with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the order on Pathak’s plea after hearing the submissions from him and Tihar authorities.
What did Pathak submit before the High Court?
Pathak’s counsel submitted before the High Court that the refusal of the prison authorities to deny him permission for physically meeting Kejriwal in Tihar jail was arbitrary, illegal and completely unjustified.
What did Tihar authorities tell the High Court?
The Tihar authorities told the High Court that it is not in favour of allowing Pathak the facility of physical “mulakat” with Kejriwal in view of his past conduct of deliberately violating the prison consideration and speaking to media on his deliberations with Kejriwal. It further said that the submission of Pathak that he is a political person and he will talk of politics is against the prison rules.
Kejriwal is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in excise policy cases
Kejriwal is currently lodged in judicial custody in Tihar Jail in excise policy cases related to alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy.
Pathak was earlier permitted to meet Kejriwal in jail but was later denied permission
Pathak was earlier permitted to meet Kejriwal by the jail authorities, however, he was later denied permission on the ground that he misused the mulakat facility by making statements against the jail administration and has issued political statements after his physical interview, which is in violation of Rule 587 of Delhi Prison Rules, 2018.
What statements Pathak made after visiting Kejriwal in Tihar Jail?
According to news agency PTI, some of the statements made by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Pathak, as claimed by the jail administration, after visiting Kejriwal in jail are – “Kejriwal is CM and will remain the CM and if needed he will run the government from inside the jail” and “From next week onwards, the CM will call two ministers to jail every week, there he will review their departments and give them guidelines and directions”.
