CM Arvind Kejriwal fails to get Delhi HC relief

New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Tuesday declined to stay the trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders in the controversy surrounding Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

The high court was hearing a plea filed by AAP leader Deepak Bajpai, who along with others was put on trial in the defamation case, challenging the lower court’s orders summoning and framing notice against him. Justice I.S. Mehta issued a notice to the Delhi government and Mr Jaitley and sought their response on the plea, but declined the plea of Mr Bajpai's counsel for an interim stay on the proceedings before the trial court. The court has listed the matter for September 19.

It may be noted that besides, Mr Kejriwal and Mr Bajpai, the other AAP leaders accused in the case are Ashutosh, Kumar Vishwas, Sanjay Singh and Radhav Chaddha.

Besides the trial court orders of summoning and issuing a notice against Mr Bajpai for alleged defamation, his advocate Prashant Mendiratta challenged the order by which his (Mr Bajpai) application, which was to be heard on the point of notice, was also rejected.

During the hearing, counsel Sandeep Sethi and advocate Amit Mahajan, representing Mr Jaitley, opposed the plea saying the accused have been appearing before the trial court for over a year and filed the plea before the high court now.

Mr Bajpai’s counsel argued he resides outside the trial court’s jurisdiction and cannot be summoned by the court without an inquiry under the CrPC, which was not done in this case. “Notice for offence of defamation has been framed against them giving them a chance to be heard,” the plea said.