Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad
The Gujarat High Court on Monday refused to grant urgent circulation of two petitions moved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh seeking quashing of the summons issued to them for alleged criminal defamation in relation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree.
Senior advocate Percy Kavina representing the AAP leaders, requested for urgent circulation and listing of the petitions for September 21 before the court of Justice Samir Dave primarily on the ground that the Ahmedabad magistrate court is due to take up the criminal defamation matters on September 23.
Kavina, while seeking the urgent circulation of the matters, also said, “…a word from your lordship (to the HC registry for listing the matters) may be necessary because (September) 23, Saturday, is when it (criminal defamation cases moved by Gujarat University against the two AAP leaders) is kept (before the magistrate court) and one of those really fast trials are taking place.”
Justice Dave, however, refused to pass any such instructions for urgent circulation.
Kejriwal and Singh, seeking review of the summons issued by the magistrate court, had earlier moved the sessions court. They sought that the court quash the summons issued. On September 14, the sessions court, however, dismissed the petitions refusing to interfere with the magistrate’s order.
It has also been submitted that the alleged defamatory statements were made with respect to making the said degree of PM Modi available, which is otherwise not available on GU’s website. It was also added that as Kejriwal is the Delhi CM, the summons could not have been passed without necessary sanction under CrPC section 197.
Kejriwal and Singh are facing a criminal defamation case and were initially issued summons to appear before the court on April 15 and again issued a fresh summons on May 23.
