Property Defacement Case Against Kejriwal: Delhi Court Tells Police to Speed Up Probe
Rouse Avenue Court directed Delhi Police to expedite investigation in 2019 Dwarka property defacement case involving Arvind Kejriwal; sought status report by December 3
The case stems from allegations of public property defacement in the Dwarka area in 2019
The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi Police to expedite the investigation into a case of public property defacement involving Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Mittal issued the direction after the investigating officer (IO) sought additional time to interrogate Kejriwal, citing his absence from Delhi.
The court asked the IO to accelerate the process and submit a detailed status report by the next date of hearing, December 3.
During the hearing, the investigating officer informed the court that former AAP MLA Gulab Singh and MCD councillor Nitika Sharma have already been questioned. However, Kejriwal’s statement could not be recorded as he was not present in the capital. “Some more time is required to conclude the investigation,” the IO submitted.
On the previous hearing held on September 29, the Court had granted the police more time to complete the probe.
The case stems from allegations of public property defacement in the Dwarka area in 2019. The FIR was registered following a court order dated March 11, which directed the concerned Station House Officer to file a case under Section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007, and other applicable provisions. The order came in response to a complaint filed by one Shiv Kumar Saksena.
Earlier in August, the FSL had submitted its sealed report on a CD in a public property defacement case. The Court had taken the report and results on record, directing the FSL to furnish an additional copy to the Investigation Officer (IO) and asking the IO to complete the investigation.
On May 8, the Court had permitted the IO to send the CD, containing photographs and accompanied by a Section 65B certificate, to the FSL for examination after the complainant expressed inability to provide the images. Despite repeated directions on May 23 and June 10 to expedite the process, the report was delayed, prompting the court to summon the FSL Director personally. The Court had summoned the Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to appear in person on June 28 over the failure to submit a forensic report pertaining to a CD.
It is to be noted that on May 23, the Delhi Court had sought the response of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in the 2019 case. The Court had issued notice to the Director of the FSL, directing the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) to expedite the forensic report and submit it before the court. The matter had been posted for further hearing on June 9.
The Court’s direction came after Delhi Police submitted a status report stating that a compact disc (CD) containing alleged evidence had been sent to the FSL for expert analysis, and the results were awaited.
“Status report has been filed as per which the CD has been sent to FSL for expert opinion and result of the same is awaited... Issue notice to the Director, FSL through concerned SHO with request to expedite the result in the present case,” the Court had stated.
The case pertains to a complaint filed in 2019, which alleged that Kejriwal, then Matiala MLA Gulab Singh, and then Dwarka A ward councillor Nitika Sharma, all from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), misused public funds by putting up large banners and hoardings in the area.
The banners bore the names and photographs of the accused and were allegedly displayed at various public places.
The Court had earlier directed the registration of an FIR on March 11, 2025, under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, observing that hanging banners or affixing hoardings amounts to defacement under Section 3 of the Act.
The complainant had submitted visual evidence with timestamps to support the allegations.
A Magisterial Court had initially dismissed the complaint in September 2022. However, the order was set aside by a sessions court on January 21, 2025, which directed the magistrate to reconsider the matter afresh.
Case Title: Shiv Kumar Saxena v. Arvind Kumar & Ors.
Hearing Date: October 29, 2025
Bench: ACJM Neha Mittal