The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday announced Isudan Gadhvi as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls. A popular name in the state, the former news anchor has been entrusted with the responsibility to lead AAP’s campaign to victory.
While Gadhvi is undoubtedly well-liked by a large section of the state’s populace, he’s also had a few controversial moments.
In January, Gadhvi was arrested for alleged consumption of liquor. Alcohol is banned in Gujarat, which is a dry state. The FIR showed that the AAP leader had 0.0545 per cent (weight by volume) alcohol presence in his blood. Gadhvi denied the charge, saying that the forensic report may have been fudged at the instance of the BJP and that he was ready to undergo a lie-detector test to prove that he was a teetotaller.
“I have never consumed alcohol and have never even touched alcohol. My report itself is under suspicion. My breath analyser report was negative, so how can the blood report be positive? I am also ready to get my lie detector test done,” he told reporters.
On December 20 last year, AAP leaders and workers reached BJP’s state office in Ahmedabad to protest against a paper leak scandal. There was a clash between the workers of both parties.
A BJP activist accused AAP leaders and workers including Gadhvi of molesting her in a state of intoxication. The police took him to the Civil Hospital in Gandhinagar for medical examination.
The liquor test came back positive on December 30 and a case was registered against Gadhvi under sections 66 (1)B [makes any person liable for punishment on conviction for the offence of “consuming, using, possessing or transporting any intoxicant or hemp”] and 85 (1) [presumed to have drunk liquor or consumed any other intoxicant “for the purpose of being intoxicated and not for a medicinal purpose” until the contrary is proved] of the Gujarat Prohibition Act and other laws.
He was arrested a couple of days later and released on bail within hours. The matter is pending in court.
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