SC dismisses Kejriwal’s plea challenging summons in PM Modi's degree defamation case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by AAP national Convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking the quashing of the summons order in a criminal defamation case concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's academic degree.

A bench, headed by Justice Hrishikesh Roy, noted that the top court in April this year had declined to entertain a similar plea filed by AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, who is co-accused in the defamation case.

The Bench, also comprising Justice SVN Bhatti, clarified that it has not gone into the merits of the matter and all contentions of the parties are left open to be raised in the course of trial proceedings.

In the course of the hearing, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Kejriwal, said that he is ready to express regret for his statement. However, this met strong opposition from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared on behalf of the Gujarat University.

Mehta said that Kejriwal "is in the habit of making reckless statements and then saying sorry". He further submitted that the Central Information Commission’s decision to furnish a copy of PM Modi's degree certificate was quashed by the Gujarat High Court.

Without examining the contentions raised, the apex court dismissed Kejriwal’s plea in line with its earlier order passed in Sanjay Singh’s matter.

The defamation case emanates from derogatory statements made by AAP supremo Kejriwal and his party MP concerning Prime Minister Modi's academic degree.

A metropolitan court in Ahmedabad had summoned both the politicians following a criminal defamation complaint from Gujarat University. In February this year, a bench of Justice Hasmukh D. Suthar of the Gujarat High Court found no ground to nullify the summons in a 61-page detailed order.

"Whatever grounds urged by the petitioners are disputed questions of fact which may be adjudicated at the full-fledged trial and by recording the evidence as no mini-trial is permissible while exercising jurisdiction under Section 482 of the CrPC," the bench said.