The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the defamation proceedings, pending in a Delhi trial court, against the former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders Shazia Ilmi, Prashant Bhushan and Manish Sisodia.
The case was filed by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal’s son Amit Sibal.
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A Bench of Justices H.L. Dattu and S.A. Bobde did not accept the submission by senior counsel Jayant Bhushan that the proceedings be stayed till the disposal of the petition in the apex court.
The Bench, while posting the matter for final hearing on July 22, however, said if the respondents filed applications before the trial court seeking exemption from personal appearance on April 19, it should be considered on its merits.
Earlier, on January 16, the Delhi High Court refused to quash the defamation proceedings but asked the trial court to consider the AAP leaders’ plea for discharge.
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