SC refuses to stay the trial in defamation case against Kejriwal over comments on PM's degree

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the trial in a criminal defamation case filed by the Gujarat University against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over comments in connection with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S V N Bhatti said the court is not inclined to issue notice at this stage as the matter is pending before the Gujarat High Court and is listed for hearing on August 29.

The bench also noted that Kejriwal's plea to stay the trial is pending in the high court.

"We trust and hope that the matter is decided on the said date. We must record that a number of pleas have been raised by the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of Gujarat University, they can be raised before the high court,” the bench said.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, contended the summoning orders had been issued wrongly.

He said the sessions court issued notice on a plea against the summons but it rejected his client's plea for interim stay. The petitioner moved the high court, but the trial court was going at breakneck speed and will finish the matter by September 16.

Singhvi said petitions are pending before sessions court and the high court.

Mehta said the petitioner sought to appear through advocates. This plea was rejected, then they abused the trial court, he claimed.

He further asked as a litigant if it was not the petitioner's duty not to suppress this.

Earlier this week, the Ahmedabad sessions court rejected a plea by Kejriwal and AAP MP Sanjay Singh, seeking an expedited hearing of their revision petition, aiming for it to take place before August 29, a date determined by the Gujarat High Court in response to their request for a stay of trial.

This request was made after the Gujarat High Court dismissed their application for interim relief on August 11: though the court issued a notice regarding their plea for speedy hearing, Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court against the order of rejection of stay by Gujarat High Court.

The Gujarat University has registered a criminal defamation case against the AAP leaders’ “sarcastic and derogatory” statements made on April 1 and 2 with regard to Modi’s degree, which “tarnished its goodwill and image.”