Arvind Kejriwal to face trial in Nitin Gadkari defamation case

Zee Media Bureau/Ritesh K Srivastava

New Delhi: A trial court here on Friday ordered the framing of charges against Aam Admi party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the defamation case filed against against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari. The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha today ordered the framing of charges against the AAP chief under Sections 499 and 500 of Indian Penal Code after he refused to withdraw his allegations against Gadkari. When Kejriwal and Gadkari appeared in the Metropolitan court earlier today the two leaders were asked to settle the matter amicably. Gadkari even offered to withdraw the defamation case filed by him against Kejriwal on the condition that he withdraws all charges of corruption made by him. However, Kejriwal flatly refused to withdraw the serious nature of charges made by him against the BJP leader. The court then ordered the authorities to frame charges against Kejriwal and posted the matter for next hearing on August 3. The court even asked Gadkari to submit an affidavit and present his case three days before the next hearing. The court, however, exempted Kejriwal from personal appearance. Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha had on May 23 extended the judicial custody of Kejriwal and fixed a fresh hearing in the case for today (June 6), after the AAP leader refused to furnish a bail bond for his release. However, on May 27, Kejriwal, on the advice of the Delhi High Court, obtained bail from the trial court by furnishing a personal bond. Kejriwal was earlier summoned as an accused by the court in the defamation complaint in which Gadkari, now a Cabinet minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s government, had alleged that he was defamed by the AAP leader who had included his name in the party`s list of "India`s most corrupt". Gadkari told the court that "false, baseless, scandalous, defamatory statements" by Kejriwal against him had lowered his dignity.