In a setback for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, the Gujarat High Court dismissed their pleas to quash summons issued against them in a criminal defamation case related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications.
The case, filed by Gujarat University, saw Kejriwal and Singh challenging the trial court’s summons and subsequent rejection of their revision applications by the sessions court.
Justice Hasmukh Suthar rejected their pleas, directing them to present their arguments before the trial court. The AAP leaders had argued that the defamation case should be filed in the sessions court rather than before a magistrate.
Last year, the metropolitan court summoned Kejriwal and Singh following a defamation complaint by Gujarat University over their remarks on PM Modi’s degree. Despite their challenge in the sessions court, the summons were upheld, prompting them to approach the Gujarat High Court, which declined an interim stay.
Their subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court also met a similar fate. The High Court instructed the sessions court to expedite the hearing within ten days, assigning the matter to a new bench.
The defamation case stemmed from statements made by Kejriwal and Singh, deemed derogatory and defamatory by Gujarat University, targeting the institution over PM Modi’s degree. The court imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on Kejriwal and refused to stay the order.
The genesis of the case traces back to a Central Information Commission (CIC) order, later overturned by the Gujarat HC, regarding the disclosure of Modi’s educational qualifications. GU Registrar Piyush Patel initiated the defamation proceedings after the HC’s ruling.
Kejriwal and Singh had sought information on Modi’s degrees in 2016, leading to a legal tussle culminating in the current defamation case.
