"I want to thank Rouse Avenue Court, Constitution": Former Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar after court acquits him
Sep 11, 2024
New Delhi [India], September 11 : Former Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar hit out at the Aam Admi Party (AAP) after the Rouse Avenue Court acquitted him in connection with an alleged rape case on Wednesday.
Speaking to ANI, former Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar said. "I won MLA elections in 2015. I was the youngest minister in the Delhi cabinet. In 2016, as per a conspiracy by my political opponent, a case was registered against me, following which I resigned from the post of minister, and I also quit Aam Aadmi Party as the party did not support me."
"After a long struggle, today Rouse Avenue Court has acquitted me. I want to thank Rouse Avenue Court and the Indian Constitution," he stated.
He further asked AAP leaders about their stand after the court's order.
"I want to ask Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal about their stand today," he stated.
"I want to say that Dalits and those from backward sections of society have to struggle for justice. While AAP leaders in jail are still considered innocent," he added.
The petitioner, Sandeep Kumar, held portfolios as the minister of women and child development, social welfare, and SC/ST. In 2019, he was disqualified by Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel under the anti-defection law after he supported the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the Lok Sabha elections.
In 2016, AAP suspended Sandeep Kumar after a raging controversy over an 'objectionable CD' that showed him in a compromising position with a woman.
Earlier in April, former Aam Aadmi Party Minister Sandeep Kumar has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court for the removal of Arvind Kejriwal from holding the post of Chief Minister.
The petition claimed a writ of quo-warrant against Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that he has incurred the incapacity to hold the office of the Chief Minister of Delhi after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in Excise Policy.
The former MLA from Sultanpur Mazra stated that Arvind Kejriwal, while lodged in jail, has incurred an incapacity to carry out his constitutional obligations and functions under Articles 239AA (4), 167(b) and (c) and proviso to sub-section (4) of Section 14 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and hence he can no longer function as the Chief Minister of Delhi.
The plea further stated that the Chief Minister, while in jail, prevents the Lieutenant Governor from exercising his Constitutional obligations and functions under article 167 (c) of the constitution which is identical to section 45 (c) of the Delhi Act, 1991 and for this reason also, he cannot continue in office.