Delhi Assembly election: BJP's Shakeel Dehlvi moves court against AAP candidate Shoaib Iqbal for concealing information about criminal cases

New Delhi: BJP leader Shakeel Anjum Dehlvi moved a Delhi court on Tuesday seeking action against AAP leader Shoaib Iqbal for allegedly cheating voters in his constituency by giving false information on "pending trial" in his nomination papers.

Metropolitan Magistrate Prigya Gupta will hear the matter on 19 February. Iqbal is contesting the upcoming legislative Assembly elections from central Delhi's Matia Mahal constituency.

Representational image. Reuters

The plea alleged that Iqbal, former Congress MLA and ex-deputy speaker of Delhi Vidhan Sabha, had concealed information about the six criminal cases against him, which are pending, in his nomination form filed for the elections.

The petition, filed through advocate Neeraj Kumar, claimed that Iqbal had "illegally" and "malafidely" concealed the information of the pending FIR against him with the intention of "creating undue advantage and making wrongful inducement of the voters of his constituency encouraging corrupt practices".

"The accused (Iqbal) had prior knowledge of the FIRs, and even after specific knowledge, he intentionally did not disclose it in his nomination form with intention of creating undue advantage and making wrongful inducement of the voters of his constituency encouraging corrupt practices.

"The case at Jama Masjid Police Station is "pending trial" but the accused has given its status as "pending investigation" in his nomination papers, thus giving false information... He intentionally omitted to give full information of pending criminal cases," it alleged.

The plea sought cognisance of the offence committed under section 199 (false statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence), 200 (using as true such declaration knowing it to be false), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform), 203 (giving false information respecting an offence committed), 171 G (false statement in connection with an election), 181 (false statement on oath) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant provisions of the Representation of People Act.