Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, both leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), did not appear for the hearing of a criminal defamation case against them at a court in Gujarat on Wednesday.
The duo will file an application seeking copies of documents related to the case.
The court had initially summoned Kejriwal and Singh on April 15, directing them to appear before it on May 23. Subsequently, the court reissued the summons, requiring their presence on June 7.
The court took this step after finding a prima facie case against them under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with criminal defamation. Kejriwal and Singh will not attend the court hearing on Wednesday but will instead request copies of the documents pertaining to the case, their Gujarat legal cell stated.
What is the case about?
The defamation case was filed by Gujarat University in response to the sarcastic and derogatory statements made by Kejriwal and Singh regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree in April first week. The metropolitan magistrate’s court had summoned the two AAP leaders to appear on June 7.
The defamation complaint was filed by Piyush Patel, the registrar of Gujarat University, following comments made by the AAP leaders in response to the Gujarat High Court’s ruling on PM Modi’s degree.
The complaint alleged that the statements made by Kejriwal and Singh were defamatory and sarcastic, and caused harm to the university’s prestige.
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