Delhi HC issues notice, not convinced of hoarding allegations against AAP MLA

Image Courtesy:barandbench.com

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Aam Aadmi Party and its legislator Imran Hussain in a plea alleging hoarding of oxygen cylinders at his office. Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli have directed him to be present before the court on the next hearing date. However the court stressed that neither from the posts announcing free distribution of oxygen not from the photographs was there any evidence of hoarding.

The post on social media has pictures of people lining up outside Hussain’s office and the caption reads, “To make oxygen reach those needing it, in Delhi, Cabinet Minister Imran Hussain Free Oxygen Distribution from his office”, reported LiveLaw.

The court perused the online post, as urged by the petitioner and responded, “The pictures don’t show hoarding. People are standing in line…some are taking (oxygen) from there.” The court also noted that if Hussain was “not eating away from the allocated quantity of oxygen to Delhi”, there was no reason to raise an alarm.

The Bench was quoted saying, “First we have to see where is he getting it from…he may be getting from Faridabad (on his own)…you can’t really have a problem. Even Gurudwaras are doing it.”

According to the media, the plea was filed by one Vedansh Sharma who alleged that the Delhi Cabinet Minister was “hoarding oxygen cylinders at a time when entire Delhi is in the crisis of the supply of the oxygen”. Sharma alleged that what Hussain did was illegal.

Vedansh Sharma’s counsel also referred to some online post from the official handle of the AAP, which stated that free oxygen was available at Hussain’s office. Urging the Court to see it, his counsel argued that hoarding of cylinders was visible in the picture, and thus action should be initiated against Hussain.

Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra (appearing for Delhi government), reportedly told the Court that if there was any veracity in the allegations, the strictest possible action shall be taken irrespective of who it is.

The matter will be heard on May 10.