Goa police asks Kejriwal to appear in case related to pasting of posters during polls

 Goa Police on Thursday issued a notice to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to appear before it on April 27 in a case related to the illegal sticking of posters on public properties during the 2022 Assembly elections campaign. Inspector Dilipkumar Halarnkar of Pernem police station issued the notice to Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), under section 41 (A) of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Under the section, police can summon a person for inquiry if there is "reasonable" complaint or suspicion that he had committed an offence. "During the investigation of a case about defacement of property, it is revealed that there are reasonable grounds to question you to ascertain facts and circumstances from you in relation to the present investigation," said the notice.

Kejriwal should appear at the Pernem police station at 11 am on April 27, it said. A senior police official said that Pernem police are investigating a case against the AAP registered under the Goa Prevention of Defacement of Property Act for allegedly pasting election posters on public walls during the Assembly campaign.

AAP won two seats in the 2022 polls in the BJP-ruled state. AAP Goa chief Amit Palekar was summoned by Pernem police at 11.30 am on Thursday but he failed to appear, inspector Halarnkar said. When contacted, Palekar claimed that he had not received any summons. “I am travelling abroad for five days starting today. I will look into the matter once I am back,” he added.