A Delhi court on Saturday framed charges against Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, party’s MLA Manish Sisodia, its former leader Shazia Ilmi and noted activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan in a criminal defamation case.
The case has been filed by former Union Minister Kapil Sibal’s son Amit Sibal. He has alleged that the AAP leaders had defamed him by levelling the allegation that he had taken advantage of his father’s position to represent a telecom company in court cases here.
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Metropolitan Magistrate Sunil Kumar Sharma framed the charges when the four leaders chose not to plead guilty and preferred trial. They face trial under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
The court later fixed January 17, 2015, as the date for beginning trial and recording of evidence. The law provides for a simple imprisonment of two years or fine or both in case of conviction.
The Supreme Court had in April declined to stay the trial court proceedings in the matter. The AAP leaders had approached it for the stay.
It had also refused to grant the accused persons exemption from personal appearance, leaving it to the discretion of the trial court in case of being approached by them.
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