The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against former Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, along with others, over allegations of misusing public funds for installing large hoardings across the national capital in 2019.

The case originates from a complaint filed that year, which was confirmed in a compliance report submitted before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Mittal on Friday.

According to the complaint, Kejriwal, former AAP MLA Gulab Singh, and then-Dwarka Councillor Nitika Sharma violated the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007, by putting up oversized hoardings in public spaces. A Delhi court had earlier directed the police to register an FIR under Section 3 of the Act and examine whether other offences were also involved.

In its March 11 order, the court emphasized that unauthorized hoardings not only affect the city’s aesthetic appeal but also pose traffic and safety risks.

“Deaths caused by the collapse of illegal hoardings are not new in India,” the court observed.

The complaint, filed in 2019, initially faced hurdles when the Dwarka South police submitted a status report in 2022 stating that no hoardings were found at the alleged locations, leading to the conclusion that no cognizable offence was made out. However, a revision petition prompted a fresh review, and the Rouse Avenue Court ultimately ordered the registration of an FIR.