SC issues contempt notice to Manoj Tiwari for breaking lock of sealed house

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a contempt notice of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Manoj Tiwari for breaking the lock of a sealed house in the national capital during a protest. Taking cognisance of the report of the monitoring committee, the top court summoned the BJP leader to appear before it on September 25.

The SC observed that it was unfortunate that an elected representative tried to violate the court order. An FIR had earlier been registered against the BJP leader, who is a popular singer and actor in the Bhojpuri film industry, for breaking the lock of the sealed house.

Tiwari had broken the lock of a sealed house in Gokalpur area of national capital on Sunday as mark of protest against the “pick and choose” policy of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi.

A video showing Tiwari breaking the lock had emerged on social media, triggering uproar by members of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Justifying his action, Tiwari had attacked both the Congress as well as the AAP, saying, “Congress then and Arvind Kejriwal now misled people in the name of converting unauthorised into authorised. A house, in unauthorised colony, had been sealed. If there are 1000 houses there why was only one sealed? I oppose this pick and choose system.”

Tiwari said he "wanted to appeal" to the Supreme Court and its monitoring committee to ensure that no such "pick and choose" action was taken in the name of the sealing drive. "I will not even spare municipal corporations, even though the BJP rules them, in such matters," he asserted.