The Delhi High Court on Thursday exempted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from personal appearance before a local court here in a criminal defamation case filed by Rajya Sabha MP and Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra.
The High Court, however, refused to stay the trial court’s proceedings in the case which is scheduled for hearing on December 11. It also sought a response from the Delhi Police and Mr. Chandra on Mr. Kejriwal’s plea to stay the summons issued to him by the trial court. Mr. Chandra had filed a defamation case against him for allegedly levelling false allegations in the wake of demonetisation of high-value currency notes.
Mr. Chandra's complaint claimed that Mr. Kejriwal “defamed the complainant (Mr. Chandra) by making inherently defamatory statements and caused serious harm to his reputation by imputing behaviour incompatible with proper conduct and suggestions of involvement in illegal activity”.
“On November 11, Mr. Kejriwal, while addressing a press conference in front of national television, made false, fabricated and defamatory allegations against the complainant,” it said.
Mr. Chandra has sought Mr. Kejriwal’s prosecution under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
