Arvind Kejriwal: Slander man of Indian politics now has 8 defamation cases against him
The number of cases against Arvind Kejriwal is increasing with every passing year. At the time of Delhi Assembly election, the Association of Democratic Reforms had said, after analysing the affidavit filed by Arvind Kejriwal, that 10 criminal cases were registered against him.
Going by the sheer number of libel filed against the Delhi Chief Minister, it seems that either people find it easy to file a defamation suit against Arvind Kejriwal or the latter enjoys leveling serious allegations against people without substantial evidence.
In the political circles the anti-graft crusader-turned politician has earned the dubious distinction of slander man of Indian politics. With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley slapping another defamation suit on Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP convener gets his 11th such case, three of which have been dismissed by court.
The number of cases against Arvind Kejriwal is increasing with every passing year. At the time of Delhi Assembly election, the Association of Democratic Reforms had said, after analysing the affidavit filed by Arvind Kejriwal, that 10 criminal cases were registered against him.
The ADR had said that Arvind Kejriwal was number two in terms of the number of criminal cases registered against all the candidates contesting the Delhi Assembly election.
Though, several defamation cases were registered against Kejriwal, only a couple got media attention including that of Nitin Gadkari, who is now a Union Minister.
FIRST DEFAMATION CASE AGAINST KEJRIWAL
First defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal was filed by Pawan Khera - the then political secretary to Delhi Chief Minister in 2013. Kejriwal was yet to take the world of politics by surprise by defeating the then Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Sheila Dikshit's political secretary took Kejriwal to court over his alleged 'derogatory remarks' over power tariff hike during protests in October 2012. Pawan Khera accused Arvind Kejriwal of using "false and filthy" language against Sheila Dikshit in a television show.
On Pawan Khera's petition, Karkardooma court issues summons to Arvind Kejriwal in 2013. Kejriwal had refused to seek bail in this case.
CASE BY KAPIL SIBAL'S SON
Pawan Khera's defamation suit was just the beginning as only six months later, the then Union Minister Kapil Sibal's son Amit Sibal filed another defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal.
Arvind Kejriwal had alleged, in a press conference, a conflict of interest over Amit Sibal appearing in the Supreme Court for telecom major Vodafone in a tax related case when his father was the Union Minister for Communications.
Following the defamation complaint by Amit Sibal, the Patiala House court issued summons to Kejriwal in July 2013. In December last year, Kejriwal sought a permanent exemption from appearance in the case.
THIRD DEFAMATION CASE OF 2013
The third defamation case was filed by lawyer Surender Kumar Sharma in 2013.
Surender Kumar Sharma accused Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia of defaming him by denying AAP ticket for Delhi Assembly election after announcing him as party candidate.
Surender Sharma claimed that in 2013, AAP volunteers approached him and requested to contest Delhi Assembly election on party ticket saying that Arvind Kejriwal was pleased with his social services.
Sharma said that he filled up the application form to contest the polls after being told to do so by Manish Sisodia. But, later he was denied ticket.
Citing newspaper reports, Sharma later claimed that AAP leaders including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia used "defamatory, unlawful and derogatory words" against him that lowered his reputation in the Bar and the society.
The trial court issued summons to Arvind Kejriwal in this matter in 2013 itself. This year in March, the Delhi High Court refused to stay the proceedings against Kejriwal in the matter.
NITIN GADKARI FILES CASE
The fourth defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal was filed by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, now a Union Minister in 2014.
Holding a press conference in the run up to the parliamentary elections in 2014, Arvind Kejriwal had read out a list of 'corrupt people' and mentioned Nitin Gadkari's name.
Gadkari alleged that Arvind Kejriwal had defamed him by including his name in the list of "India's most corrupt" during the press conference in New Delhi.
In February 2014, a Delhi court had summoned Arvind Kejriwal as an accused. Arvind Kejriwal had refused to furnish bail bond in the case saying that he was not criminal.
The trial court had then sent Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody. The trial was later put on hold by the Supreme Court.
RAMESH BIDHURI TAKES KEJRIWAL TO COURT
The fifth case of defamation against Arvind Kejriwal was filed by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri in 2016. Bidhuri accused Arvind Kejriwal of making baseless allegations against him.
The Patiala House court issued summons to Kejriwal in this matter. Arvind Kejriwal had was granted bail in this case in July last year after he personally appeared before the court and furnished a personal bond of Rs 10,000.
In October last year, the court put Arvind Kejriwal on trial. It granted Kejriwal exemption from personal appearance in the case.
CHETAN CHAUHAN CASE
Chetan Chauhan of Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) filed a defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal in February last year.
Chetan Chauhan accused Arvind Kejriwal of defaming him by passing scandalous remarks.
In January this year, a Delhi court issued summons to Arvind Kejriwal in this case.
THREE CASES BY JAITLEY
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has filed three defamation cases against Arvind Kejriwal.
In connection with the DDCA matter, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had filed a civil defamation suit seeking Rs 10 crore in damages from Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders.
But, in December last year, he filed a criminal defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal.
It wall began on December 15, 2015 when Arvind Kejriwal targeted Arun Jaitley claiming that the CBI raided his Chief Ministerial office in search of the files related to DDCA. Kejriwal had earlier alleged that there were massive irregularities in the DDCA under Arun Jaitley's chairmanship.
Less than a week later, Arun Jaitley filed the criminal defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders.
Today, Jaitley filed another Rs 10 crore suit against Arvind Kejriwal over senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani using the word "crook" for Jaitley during a cross-examination last week. Jethmalani later said that he was asked by the client (Arvind Kejriwal) to use the word.
Incidentally, two more petitions of alleged defamation were filed against Arvind Kejriwal for using a derogatory language for policemen. But, a Delhi court dismissed the plea saying that 'koi thulla' remark by Arvind Kejriwal was neither aimed at an identifiable individual nor at the entire Delhi Police establishment.
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