Court issues bailable warrant against Digvijay, cancels later

New Delhi, Nov 1: A Delhi court today issued a bailable warrant against Congress leader Digvijay Singh for his failure to appear before it in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari only to cancel it after he turned up.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha cancelled the bailable warrant against Singh after he appeared before the court around 3 pm and requested it to withdraw the warrant. He gave an undertaking to the court that he would personally appear before it on the next date of hearing on November 10. Earlier in the day, around 12 noon, when the matter came up for hearing, Singh's counsel moved a plea seeking exemption from personal appearance for the day.

The court, however, dismissed his plea and issued bailable warrant against Singh after the application was opposed by advocates Ajay Digpaul and Balendu Shekhar, who appeared for Gadkari. It also directed Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Gadkari, who had filed the plea in 2012, to be present in the court on November 10, warning that his plea would be dismissed if he fails to appear on that day.

"Issue bailable warrant in the sum of Rs 10,000 with one surety of the like amount against the accused (Singh) for November 10, 2014...," the magistrate said. "The complainant (Gadkari) is directed to appear in person positively on the NDOH (next date of hearing), failing which complaint shall be dismissed," the court said. The defamation case was filed by Gadkari against Singh, who had alleged that the former BJP chief had business links with the then MP Ajay Sancheti.

PTI