In another disappointing episode by the Delhi Police, an auto driver was penalised Rs 10,000 on January 15, for a poster that read 'I love Kejriwal' behind his auto-rickshaw. On January 28, the Delhi High Court sought the response of Aam Aadmi Party government, the police and the Election Commission, following the petition challenging the hefty fine that was levied on the auto-rickshaw driver.

© Twitter

Rajesh, the auto driver, on January 15, was travelling from Kalindi Kunj towards Apollo hospital, when he was stopped by traffic cops and was interrogated for the poster. He stuck to the claim that no one had paid him money to put up the poster and he'd put it up upon his own volition. Despite his constant requests, the traffic cops fined Rajesh, following which he filed the petition. He claimed in the petition that his fundamental rights were violated.

After this incident took place, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal accused the Bhartiya Janta Party for targeting poor auto drivers, through a Tweet.

The tweet is in Hindi and this is what he wrote:

"The BJP through its police is targeting poor auto drivers using false challans. His only mistake is that he has written 'I love Kejriwal'. Such resentment against the poor is not right. I appeal to the BJP to stop taking revenge against the poor."

भाà¤à¤ªà¤¾ à¤à¤ªà¤¨à¥ पà¥à¤²à¤¿à¤¸ सॠà¤à¤¼à¤°à¥à¤¬ à¤à¤à¥ वालà¥à¤ à¤à¥ à¤à¥à¤ à¥ à¤à¤¾à¤²à¤¾à¤¨ à¤à¤°à¤µà¤¾ रहॠहà¥à¥¤ à¤à¤¨à¤à¤¾ à¤à¤¼à¤¸à¥à¤° à¤à¥à¤µà¤² यॠहॠà¤à¤¿ à¤à¤¨à¥à¤¹à¥à¤à¤¨à¥ âI love kejriwalâ लिà¤à¤¾ हà¥à¥¤ à¤à¤¼à¤°à¥à¤¬à¥à¤ à¤à¥ à¤à¤¼à¤¿à¤²à¤¾à¤«à¤¼ à¤à¤¤à¤¨à¥ दà¥à¤°à¥à¤­à¤¾à¤µà¤¨à¤¾ ठà¥à¤ नहà¥à¤ हà¥à¥¤ मà¥à¤°à¥ भाà¤à¤ªà¤¾ सॠà¤à¤ªà¥à¤² हॠà¤à¤¿ à¤à¤¼à¤°à¥à¤¬à¥à¤ सॠबदला लà¥à¤¨à¤¾ बà¤à¤¦ à¤à¤°à¥à¥¤ https://t.co/yoTIRXLp5S

â Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 28, 2020

The lawyer representing the government and the police sought some time from court to understand why Rajesh was fined in the first place, wanting to file a status report on the matter. The Election Commission Council stated that he may have been fined on the grounds of alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The case will be heard next on March 3.

© Twitter

While we look at this a little more microscopically, we realise the police have actually challenged Rajesh's fundamental rights to practice expression freely and that is very problematic, to say the least. We truly hope the case sees the light of day, with an apt judgement. Meanwhile, here's what people are saying regarding the 'unlawful' fine imposed on Rajesh the auto driver:

An Auto rickshaw driver fined INR 10,000 by Delhi Traffic Police for "I love Kejriwal" written on his auto.

Lmao. Pettiness ki bhi koi seema hoti hai. https://t.co/gpGFgvxo1H

â Ashit Sharma (@AshitSharma1919) January 29, 2020

Unable to understand â¹ï¸â¹ï¸https://t.co/2ozDugLvpM

â Osama_12 (@Osama_210690) January 29, 2020

Gunda Gardi hai bas or kuch nahi .or kuch hoga bhi nhi inse

â Alam Shah (@ShahaAl000) January 28, 2020

Utter nonsense, there are autos which had NaMo2020, ManoforHaryana, etc. throughout. The BJP uses autos for ads as well as Kejriwal, the fact that theyâre targetting an auto driver for supporting an opponent is opportunistic and petty. pic.twitter.com/6k9uc0PC19

â ityukti (@ityukti) January 29, 2020

Don't you think this auto also deserves a similar fine then? pic.twitter.com/JeBJFmyP7I

â kapil janyani (@kapil_janyani) January 28, 2020

https://t.co/JkWipn6NO9
No tolerance from the State if love and respect is not for BJP?

â Arindam R Choudhury (@arindam0205) January 29, 2020

What is our country turning into? Kejriwal could be anyone for that matter.https://t.co/R8MDNd2Bfn

â Bhaskar Barua (@_bbaruah) January 28, 2020

This is what the #DelhiPolice are busy doing now. While AAP's attitude to almost every national issue deserves a kick in the backside, this is just another way the BJP is using the police as their own paramilitary force.https://t.co/VOnaTmBuTv

â Misplaced Apostrophe (@SpiffyHobbes) January 28, 2020

Now what ? People canât express themselves ? https://t.co/b3frBCfBLB

â theCuriousCaseof (@altered_karbon) January 29, 2020

Probably Indian majority people esp police , donot now the meaning of democracy and are using Dictitorial ways like old english RAJ Freedom of expression is basic Right of every Citizen.Kejrival or BJP why people get exploited by leaders https://t.co/Ke8GUWsGGV via @scroll_in

â Yousufnaik55@gmail.com (@yousufnaik55) January 29, 2020

Why doesn't Delhi police start fining all the Sallu auto driver fans, they will mint more money. https://t.co/CKmoFpR2FE

â Sneha Jaiswal (@Miss_Jaiswal) January 29, 2020

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