HC rejects Arvind Kejriwal's plea in DDCA defamation suit

The Delhi High Court today has dismissed a plea by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the decision of the judge to expedite the hearing of a civil defamation suit. The defamation suit was filed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who was in the past the chief of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) against Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders.

Earlier this year, Delhi High Court had issued a notice to the Delhi Chief Minister in a Rs 10 crore defamation suit filed by the Finance Minister of India over his lawyer Ram Jethmalani using the word “crook”. He had mentioned in the suit that Kejriwal’s lawyer had used the word ‘crook’ categorically on the instructions from Kejriwal.

“Jethmalani categorically stated that he used the word ‘crook’ on the instructions from his client [Kejriwal herein]. He further categorically stated that he has received this instruction in his meeting with Kejriwal, and further stated that this meeting was held in absence of the advocate-on-record representing Kejriwal in the said prior suit,” the suit stated.

The plea is ‘devoid of merit’: Division bench

The division bench comprised of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar dismissed the plea saying it is “devoid of merit”. They also observed that expediting of the trial is the “need of the hour” and recommended in all cases. It also said that the plea against the court’s directions was “misconceived” and “with the intention” to protract the hearing.

Before rejecting Kejriwal’s plea, the division bench had also slammed him and Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh saying that it was hearing for the first time that a party is aggrieved due to an expeditious trial of a matter.

Jaitley had filed the civil defamation suit against Kejriwal, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpayee, claiming they made “false and defamatory” statements in the case involving the DDCA, thereby harming his reputation.