New Delhi: A court here today restrained Delhi Police from taking any coercive steps for a week against AAP MLA Prakash Jarwal, who has been booked for allegedly molesting a woman outside the DJB office in Greater Kailash area, saying the matter was not being investigated properly.

Additional Sessions Judge Sunil Chaudhary granted the interim relief to the MLA from Deoli in south Delhi till July 18 after he moved a plea seeking protection from arrest.

“Complainant has made a complaint prior to registration of the present case about the incident which was received by ACP, Police Station Ambedkar Nagar on June 27. She stated that no action was taken upon her complaint. After going through the case diary of the IO as well as statement of witnesses it appears that the matter is not being investigated properly.

“Let the facts be brought into the notice of the DCP, South East district who will apprise the court about action taken on the complaint of the complainant received by ACP on June 27, the status of the investigation and recording of the statement of witnesses as well as non-maintenance of the case diary as required by law on July 18. Till then, coercive steps against the applicant be not taken,” the judge said.

Advocate C L Gupta, while seeking anticipatory bail for Jarwal, argued that in the earlier complaint lodged on June 27 the allegations made by the woman did not fall under section 354 (molestation) of the IPC.

Jarwal has been booked for allegedly molesting a woman who had gone to lodge a complaint regarding water crisis at the DJB office in southeast Delhi’s Greater Kailash area.

The case has been registered under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

In her complaint, the woman told police that she had gone to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) office on July 2 to meet a particular officer and complain about severe water crisis in Sangam Vihar L block, when she was confronted by Jarwal’s men, who were present there.

She said they abused her verbally and threatened her too.

PTI