Delhi: The Delhi Assembly has summoned former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the then deputy CM Manish Sisodia and former speaker Ram Niwas Goel to appear before its privileges committee on November 13 in connection with the previous AAP government’s ‘Phansi Ghar’ allegations.
In the monsoon session held in August, Speaker Vijender Gupta stated that the structure labelled a British-era ‘Phansi Ghar’ (execution room) and inaugurated by Kejriwal in 2022 was actually just a “tiffin room,” based on a 1912 map of the premises. He said no evidence existed to show it was ever used for executions, and referred the issue to the nine-member Committee of Privileges for investigation.
“… Members of the Committee of Privileges are hereby informed that the sitting of the committee is scheduled to be held on Thursday, November 13, 2025… to deliberate the matter regarding the authenticity of ‘Faansi Ghar’ inaugurated on August 9, 2022, in Delhi Legislative Assembly premises,” said a notice issued by the Assembly Secretariat on Tuesday.
The copies of the notice have also been sent to Kejriwal, Sisodia, Goel and former deputy speaker Rakhi Birla.
The BJP sought an apology from AAP chief Kejriwal for “misleading” the House over the subject, while the AAP has questioned whether MLAs are qualified to deliberate on a historical matter such as this.
In September, the privileges committee had also issued notices to Kejriwal, Sisodia and Goel, seeking their responses.
According to a communication issued by the Assembly Secretariat at that time, the Phansi Ghar was inaugurated in the presence of Kejriwal as chief guest, and Sisodia and the then deputy speaker Rakhi Birla as guests of honour, while Goel presided over the ceremony.
The Committee of Privileges, headed by BJP MLA Pradyumn Singh Rajput, has two AAP legislators, Surendra Kumar and Ram Singh Netaji, as members.
