PM Modi Degree Defamation Case: Gujarat HC Refuses Interim Relief To Arvind Kejriwal

The Gujarat High Court on Friday declined to grant an interim stay on the ongoing criminal defamation proceedings involving Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, and the party’s Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh.

Justice Sameer Dave refused a stay on the application moved by the legal team of Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh in the Gujarat High Court.

Consequently, the proceedings will continue in the lower court, as the duo had been summoned to appear on Friday.

The hearing will now proceed as per schedule.

The complainant, Gujarat University, requested the issuance of a bailable warrant against both Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh if they failed to appear.

Currently, Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh are facing a criminal defamation case in Ahmedabad. They were summoned to appear before the Metropolitan court on August 11.

Subsequent to receiving the summons, Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh approached the Gujarat High Court, seeking a halt to the defamation proceedings. They sought this stay until the Sessions court adjudicated on another application challenging the summonses issued by the Metropolitan court.

However, the City Civil & Sessions Court in Ahmedabad, on August 5, denied their plea to suspend the trial proceedings until the disposition of their revised plea.

Earlier, on March 31, the Gujarat High Court had nullified the Chief Information Commission’s order and ruled that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was not obligated to provide the degree and postgraduate degree certificates of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The High Court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had sought access to the Prime Minister’s degree certificate details.