Delhi court summons Kejriwal in defamation case

A Patiala house court on Monday summoned Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to face trial in criminal defamation case filed by Rajya Sabha MP Subhash Chandra.

In a press conference on November 12, 2016, Kejriwal had alleged that Subhash Chandra has a large amount of unaccounted black money, and demonetisation is a "scam" by the central govt to give benefit to Chandra and others at the cost of poor citizens.

Court in its order has noted that Kejriwal's statement made on national television "clearly published the imputations concerning the complainant intending to harm or knowing and having reason to believe that such imputations will harm reputation, to defame him".

Court has also held that effect on the reputation of Chandra has been shown through evidence by witnesses. "There is sufficient material on record to summon accused Arvind Kejriwal for offences punishable under section 500 IPC.

In another defamation case, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea seeking details of bank accounts, tax returns and other financial records of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Jaitley has filed a defamation case against Kejriwal.

The high court said that Kejriwal's plea, which also sought the bank statements of Jaitley's family members and companies in which he or they had over 10 per cent shareholding, was a "fishing or roving enquiry" and did not have any merit.

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw had also dismissed Kejriwal's plea seeking removal of certain portions of Jaitley's evidence claiming they were not there in the pleadings and replication of the BJP leader.

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