The Supreme Court has recently stayed the proceedings before an Ahmedabad court in a criminal defamation case filed against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav for his alleged remarks that “only Gujaratis can be thugs”.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal also issued notice to the complainant and sought his response on a transfer plea moved by Yadav seeking transfer of the trial from Gujarat to a ‘neutral place’.
Prior to last week, Yadav’s counsel informed a trial court in Ahmedabad that he has moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the criminal defamation case.
The criminal defamation complaint was filed against the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader by Hareshbhai Mehta, the vice president of an organisation called the All-India Anti-Corruption and Crime Preventive Council.
The complaint was filed before a magistrate court in Ahmedabad, Gujarat after he allegedly stated that “only Gujaratis can be thugs”.
Tejashwi Yadav stated in March this year, “Only Gujaratis can be thugs in the present situation, and their fraud (crime) will be forgiven. Who will be responsible if they abscond after they are offered the money belonging to the LIC and bank?”
In the defamation case, Mehta stated that the statement was made in public and calling the entire Gujarati community thugs defames and humiliates all Gujaratis in public.
