Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, is facing criminal defamation charges after comments he made about the Gujarat University in relation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational background. On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to halt the prosecution against Kejriwal.
The Supreme Court bench, presided over by Justice Sanjeev Khanna, noted that the matter is still ongoing before the Gujarat High Court and that the court is not inclined to serve notice in this case.
Arvind Kejriwal and Gujarat University can bring their complaints before the High Court, according to the Supreme Court.
Arvind Kejriwal's attorney, senior attorney Abhishek Singhvi, contended that the High Court erroneously declined to issue an interim stay of the defamation case against him.
The High Court is expected to hear the case on August 29. The Supreme Court stated, "We trust and hope that it is decided on the said date."
When criticizing the institution for withholding Prime Minister Modi's degree certificate, Arvind Kejriwal was charged with uttering "defamatory" words, according to the Gujarat institution Registrar Piyush Patel's complaint.
On August 11, Kejriwal filed a petition with the Supreme Court contesting the High Court's ruling, which rejected his request for a temporary halt to the criminal defamation case against him.
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader and another politician, Sanjay Singh, had earlier been called before a Gujarat metropolitan court about the matter. A revision petition that Kejriwal and Singh submitted to the sessions court was rejected. They then went to the Gujarat High Court, and a hearing was set for August 29.
