Defamation case: Arvind Kejriwal exempted from personal appearance

NEW DELHI: A city court today granted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal exemption from personal appearance for the day in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley against him and five other AAP leaders.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass granted the relief to Kejriwal after an application was moved by his counsel saying that he was unable to attend the proceedings as he was busy in some official works.

The court also granted the relief to AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, one of the other accused in the case.

The court, which was scheduled to hear the arguments from the accused -- Kejriwal, Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai -- on the framing of notice, however, posted the matter for December 20 after senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for the chief minister, said he had to attend a Constitution Day programme.

Jaitley had filed the criminal defamation complaint alleging that the accused had allegedly defamed him in connection with the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) controversy.

A civil defamation suit has also been filed by Jaitley before the Delhi High Court in relation to the matter seeking Rs 10 crore in damages.