Defamation case: Kejriwal, Sisodia to appear in court on Tuesday

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and two other AAP leaders including Deputy CM Manish Sisodia are likely to appear on Tuesday in a Delhi court which is scheduled to pronounce its order on the issue of framing of charges against them in a criminal defamation complaint. [caption id=“attachment_2156877” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with his deputy Manish Sisodia. PTI[/caption] Metropolitan Magistrate Muneesh Garg had earlier directed Kejriwal, Sisodia and Yogendra Yadav, who were released on bail after they had appeared in the court on 4 June last year in pursuance to summons against them, to be present in person on Tuesday. The court, which had earlier reserved its order for 11 February, had granted exemption to the three AAP leaders from personal exemption for that day and had given them a last opportunity to positively appear before it on 17 March. Kejriwal had earlier sought exemption from personal appearance for that day on the ground that he had to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in view of Delhi Assembly elections results which were announced on 10 February. The summons were issued on the complaint of advocate Surender Kumar Sharma under sections 499, 500 (defamation) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC, with the court, saying there was prima facie material to summon the accused. While issuing summons against AAP leaders, the court had said, “The press release published in newspapers as well as testimonies of witnesses reflect that defamatory remarks were published in the newspaper which affected the reputation of the complainant in the society and lowered his reputation in the eyes of other members of the society.” The court, however, had rejected the complainant’s plea that AAP leaders had conspired and cheated him, saying in the absence of the very element of deception, there was no prima facie material against any of the accused for the offence of cheating and criminal conspiracy. Sharma had alleged that in 2013 he was approached by volunteers of AAP who had asked him to contest Delhi Assembly election on a party ticket saying Kejriwal was pleased with his social services. He filled up the application form to contest the polls after being told by Sisodia and Yadav that AAP’s Political Affairs Committee had decided to give him the ticket. However, it was later denied to him. On 14 October, 2013, the complainant claimed that articles in leading newspapers carried “defamatory, unlawful and derogatory words used by the accused persons” which have lowered his reputation in the Bar and the society. PTI