Gujarat: FIRs against Kejriwal convoy for 'evading' toll tax

Gujarat police has lodged two separate complaints against Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal's convoy in connection with alleged non-payment of toll tax during his 'fact finding' tour in the state last week.

The FIRs were registered against the cavalcade led by Kejriwal, police said on Friday.

The first complaint is lodged with Varahi police station under Santalpur taluka of Patan district. As per the complaint lodged by Varahi toll booth employee Mukesh Gadhvi, AAP convoy of around 20 cars and other vehicles passed through without paying any toll.

"While heading towards Kutch from Radhanpur on March 5, it is alleged that none of the cars in the AAP convoy paid tax at Varahi toll plaza,” said N J Jadeja, police sub inspector of Varahi police station.

Gadhvi, who works at the toll booth, alleged that drivers of these 20-odd vehicles didn't pay any tax.

“We booked a case under IPC 188 last night for not adhering to notification about toll tax. However, no specific names were mentioned in the FIR. We are now taking statements and checking CCTV footages of toll booth to identify the drivers of these cars,” said Jadeja.

Similarly, another complaint was lodged on Thursday night at Samkhiali police station of Bhachau taluka of Kutch.

In his complaint filed on Thursday night, security in-charge of Samkhilai toll plaza Dipendrasinh Tomar alleged that AAP convoy having 15-odd cars passed through the toll plaza without paying tax at 4.30 pm on March 6.

“We have taken Tomar's complaint and booked a case against drivers of AAP convoy for not following the notification of National Highway Authority of India,” said Samkhiali police.

Kejriwal had travelled to Patan and Kutch district during his Gujarat visit on March 5 and 6.

The AAP leader had said that he had come to Gujarat to 'inspect' the development claims made by Narendra Modi.

Earlier, state government finance minister and spokesperson Nitin Patel had alleged that "Kejriwal and other state leaders of AAP had skipped toll tax payment at three places, while moving with his entire cavalcade."

"He did not pay the toll at Varahi toll booth in Patan district and Surajbari and Samakhiyali in Kutch district," Patel had alleged.

Former Gujarat MLA from BJP, Kanubhai Kalsariya, was also travelling with him. They did not stop their car even when the toll-booth employee asked them to do so, he claimed.

Image: Arvin Kejriwal's car was attacked during his visit to Gujarat