Arun Jaitley accepts Kumar Vishwas’ apology, withdraws defamation case

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday withdrew defamation case against Dissident Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas after he wrote an apology letter to him.

Vishvas had earlier told the Delhi High Court that his remarks against Jaitley were based on inputs that he received from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Vishwas was the only one against whom the defamation suit remains after Kejriwal and four other AAP leaders -- Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh and Deepak Bajpai-- tendered unequivocal apology to Jaitley in the Rs 10 crore defamation suit filed against them by the union minister.

Jaitley had filed a case of defamation against the six AAP leaders including Kejriwal in December 2015 after he was accused of financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) while serving as its president. The BJP leader had refuted all the allegations.

Earlier this month, the court had closed the cases against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and four AAP leaders - Raghav Chadha, Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh and Deepak Bajpai - after the five of them rendered an apology and moved a joint settlement plea against the Rs 10-crore defamation suit filed against them by the Union minister. The court, however, said the defamation suit against Vishwas will continue as he had not offered to settle the matter.