Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Moves Gujarat High Court Seeking Interim Stay On Proceedings In PM Modi Degree Defamation Case
Live LawDelhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh have moved the Gujarat High Court seeking an interim stay on proceedings in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Gujarat University till the disposal of their revision plea in a sessions court. They have also prayed for the court's direction for an expeditious hearing of the revision plea The background of the case In the criminal complaint filed by Gujarat University, through its Registrar Dr Piyush M.Patel under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, the alleged statements of Kejriwal and Singh have been referred to, accusing them of making sarcastic and defamatory statements in press conferences and on Twitter handles targeting the university over Modi's degree. The complaint states that the alleged statement was made right after the Gujarat High Court order quashing and setting aside the 2016 order of the Central Information Commission directing the Gujarat University to provide “information regarding degrees in the name of Mr. Narendra Damodar Modi" to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Complaint further states that immediately after the Gujarat High Court's order, Kejriwal made defamatory statements against Gujarat University in a press conference despite being aware of the fact that the Prime Minister's degree has been published on the University's website long back.