New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday put Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to trial in a criminal defamation case filed against him by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the DDCA issue.
Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Paty leaders pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. The next hearing in the case will take place on May 20.
The AAP leaders had accused Arun Jaitley of financial bungling when he was the president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
Advocates from both the sides indulged in a heated argument over non-appearance of Jaitley after Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Sumit Dass started the proceedings.Also Read: Timeline of Criminal Defamation Case Filed Against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
The accused, including Kejriwal, who were present before the court complained of "serious threat" after which the judge asked all the persons to go outside the court room, barring those who were concerned with the case.
Before the court's order, some of the defence counsel sought discharge of the accused citing absence of Jaitley at "such an important stage" and said that notice should not be framed in absence of the complainant.
Kejriwal's counsel said, "Let not a message go out of this court that this is luxury litigation by the complainant and, therefore, it is going like a fast-track proceeding.
"It's a political case. There are many people languishing in jail due to the pendency of cases and trials. Let this trial also proceed in the due course and not on a fast-track basis," the CM's advocate Rahul Mehra said.
“Our strategy is simple that we will fight tooth and nail till order comes. All charges are leveled by Arun Jaitley are baseless," said AAP's legal head Rishikesh Kumar.
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