In a setback to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party colleague and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, the Gujarat High Court refused to stay proceedings in a criminal defamation complaint filed by Gujarat University in the case pertaining to PM Narendra Modi’s academic degree.
Justice Samir Dave of the High Court held that there cannot be any relief till their revision plea, challenging Metropolitan Court’s order issuing summons to them, in a session court is not disposed of.
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While refusing to grant a stay on the defamation proceedings underway at a metropolitan court against them, Justice Dave noted that both of them had earlier given an assurance to the sessions court that they will remain present before the metropolitan court to record their statement.
“You have to remain present... you are avoiding court appearance,” the judge said.
A metropolitan court earlier summoned Mr Kejriwal and Mr Singh on August 11 in the defamation case filed by the Gujarat University over their “sarcastic” and “derogatory” statements and remarks in connection with PM Modi’s degree.
Subsequently, they filed a revision application in the sessions court challenging the metropolitan court’s summons to them.
However, the sessions court rejected their plea, which prompted them to approach High Court seeking an interim relief by staying the proceedings.
