A Delhi court on Saturday framed a notice against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a criminal defamation case filed by BJP south Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri. Mr. Kejriwal, who was present in the court when the notice was framed, will now face a trial.
Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh framed the notice after recording pre-charge evidence of the complainant and other witnesses. Mr. Singh also dismissed an application by Mr. Kejriwal to discharge him in the case.
The MP in his complaint has alleged that Mr. Kejriwal had defamed him in an interview given to a news channel in July last year. He has taken objection to Mr. Kejriwal’s statement that though criminal cases were pending against him, the Delhi Police were not taking any action. “ Ramesh Bidhuri ke khilaf bade bade sangeen charges hain, unko pakda aapne? (There are serious charges against Ramesh Bidhuri, did you catch him),” the complaint quoted Mr. Kejriwal as telling the interviewer.
The court has granted permanent exemption to Mr. Kejriwal from personal appearance in the case, but said that the Chief Minister might be asked to appear if required.
‘Unintentional’
During the hearing, Mr. Kejriwal said he had no intention to defame the BJP MP, but the latter countered it through his lawyer, Neeraj, saying that his intention was to defame him. “Such defamatory statements have been made with the ulterior motive and wrongful intent to malign and tarnish the image of the complainant,” the plea said.
Mr. Bidhuri claimed that no case was pending against him and the Chief Minister had defamed him by giving such statements.
The court posted the case to December 23 for further proceedings.
The court had summoned Mr. Kejriwal in February this year. He was granted bail on a personal bond of Rs.10,000 in July when he appeared before the court on the summons.
