The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a plea by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, challenging a criminal defamation case filed against him by the Registrar of Gujarat University. This development comes in the wake of Kejriwal’s remarks about the educational qualifications of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which led to the legal action.
The controversy originated when Kejriwal and fellow Aam Aadmi Party member Sanjay Singh allegedly made sarcastic comments about Modi’s college degrees during a press conference, following a judicial ruling that rescinded an order demanding the release of Modi’s educational details. The statements were made after Kejriwal requested this information under the Right to Information Act. Furthermore, Kejriwal intensified his criticism through social media, insinuating that the degrees in question were fraudulent.
Gujarat University, where Modi studied, subsequently filed the defamation case under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code. A Magistrate Court issued a summons for Kejriwal, which was backed by the Gujarat High Court following a failed attempt by Kejriwal to have the summons dismissed.
Pursuing the matter to the Supreme Court, Kejriwal found no reprieve as the Court rejected his plea, highlighting a need for consistency, as it had previously dismissed a similar petition by Sanjay Singh pertaining to the same issue. Importantly, the Supreme Court noted that it was not assessing the merits of the allegations, reserving such considerations for the trial phase.
Adding to his legal woes, Kejriwal resigned from his position as Chief Minister in September amid ongoing charges, including money laundering and further charges of defamation against the Bharatiya Janata Party, India’s ruling political organization.