Defamation case: Court reserves order on Kejriwal's exemption from personal appearance

New Delhi, June 06: A Delhi Court on Thursday reserved its order on an application filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking exemption from personal appearance in connection with a defamation case filed by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri. Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court will pronounce its order on Friday.

Bidhuri had alleged that Kejriwal had defamed him in an interview to a news channel. Kejriwal had then pleaded not guilty and stated that he will contest the case.

Bidhuri had claimed that during the interview, Kejriwal had falsely said that criminal cases were pending against Bidhuri and a Congress leader but Delhi Police was not taking action against them.

In a seperate case, BJP leader Vijender Gupta on Tuesday filed a defamation case against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy, Manish Sisodia, for "maligning" his image after they accused him of being part of an alleged "conspiracy" to kill the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief.

Vijender Gupta had also sent legal notices to Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia a week ago, asking them to apologise.

During the Lok Sabha polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said in an interview to a Punjabi channel that the BJP wanted to get him killed by his own Personal Security Officer (PSO) in the manner in which Indira Gandhi was killed.

The court today agreed to hear a defamation case filed by BJP leader Vijender Gupta.

Another BJP MP, Gautam Gambhir has also filed a defamation case against Kejriwal, Sisodia and AAP's Atishi. The defamation notice was sent to the three AAP leaders after they accused Gautam Gambhir of distributing "derogatory" and "casteist pamphlets" against Atishi. Atishi was the AAP's candidate from East Delhi who lost Lok Sabha elections to Gambhir.