The Supreme Court of India on Monday dismissed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s plea challenging a Gujarat High Court order that refused to quash summons in a criminal defamation case filed by Gujarat University. The case pertains to Kejriwal’s comments regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications.
A bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti stated that the court was not inclined to interfere in the matter, especially considering that a similar plea by co-accused AAP leader Sanjay Singh was dismissed on April 8, 2024.
Arguments Presented
Kejriwal’s counsel argued that the defamation case lacked merit, asserting that the complaint was filed by the Gujarat University registrar, who was not directly mentioned in Kejriwal’s remarks. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered, stating that Kejriwal had a “habit of making defamatory and reckless statements and then saying sorry.”
The court clarified that although Kejriwal’s legal team referred to relevant legal provisions, the earlier dismissal of Sanjay Singh’s plea influenced its decision to reject Kejriwal’s petition. “We must have a consistent approach,” the bench noted, emphasizing that they were not commenting on the merits of the case but were choosing not to entertain the plea.
The defamation case was filed by Gujarat University registrar Piyush Patel against Kejriwal and Singh after the AAP leaders made “defamatory” and “sarcastic” statements during press conferences and on social media regarding the university and PM Modi’s degrees.
The comments were reportedly made after the Gujarat High Court set aside an order from the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) requiring the university to provide information about Modi’s educational degrees under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Following this, Gujarat University filed a defamation case against the two AAP leaders.
Both Kejriwal and Singh had approached the Gujarat High Court, seeking to quash the defamation proceedings in the trial court. After the High Court declined their plea, they escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, which ultimately upheld the High Court’s decision and dismissed Kejriwal’s request for relief from the defamation proceedings.
