Court cancels bailable warrant against Assembly Speaker

A court here today cancelled the bailable warrant issued against Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel after he appeared before it in connection with an alleged rioting case lodged against him and others in 2008.
Metropolitan Magistrate Sunil Kumar Sharma had on March 21 issued warrant against Goel for his failure to appear in the court for the hearing.
The court had issued the warrant against Goel considering that he had not appeared despite its January 12 direction.
The court on January 12 had allowed applications seeking exemption from personal appearance for the day only moved by the counsel appearing for Goel and five other accused subject to a cost of Rs 2,500 each with a direction to appear before it on March 21.

During today's hearing, the court allowed separate pleas filed by the counsel seeking exemption from personal appearance for the day on behalf of some of the accused persons, including BJP leaders Jagdish Mukhi and Harshvardhan.
The court has now fixed the matter for September 19 for argument on the plea filed by the police in November 2012 for withdrawal of prosecution of the accused in the case.

The police had chargesheeted 21 persons, including Goel, Mukhi, Harshvardhan and Aarti Mehra, in an alleged case of rioting and damaging public property during a protest by BJP leaders and workers at CPI(M) office here in March 2008. One of the 21 chargesheeted accused has passed away.

The police, in its charge sheet, had alleged that the BJP workers started pelting stones at CPI(M) office here on March 9, 2008, and assaulted the policemen when they were stopped by the cops. However, later the police filed a plea seeking withdrawal of prosecution.
After the plea was filed by police, the court had sought response of the victims, who were injured in the incident.
The victims have opposed the police plea and have sought its dismissal.