Arun Jaitley defamation case: SC to hear Arvind Kejriwal's plea seeking stay

Arun Jaitley had filed a suit seeking Rs 10 crore in damages against the backdrop of attacks on him by Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders over alleged irregularities in DDCA.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear an appeal filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, seeking a stay on trial court proceedings in a criminal defamation case filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Kejriwal had contended before the apex court that the proceedings before a trial court should be stayed since a civil suit was already pending before the Delhi High Court and both could not proceed simultaneously.

Jaitley had filed a suit seeking Rs 10 crore in damages against the backdrop of attacks on him by Kejriwal and other AAP leaders over alleged irregularities and financial bungling in DDCA of which he was the president for about 13 years till 2013.

The Union Minister then filed a criminal defamation complaint on the same issue.

Jaitley filed a criminal defamation case against Kejriwal and five AAP leaders in the Patiala House Court, while the civil defamation case was filed in the Delhi High Court.