AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal caught in a defamation case

New Delhi, Oct 29: A Delhi court on Monday framed defamation charges against Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial candidate

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In a case filed by the Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit's secretary, Pawan Khera alleged that Kejriwal had defamed the CM during power tariff hike protests in October 2012.

Khera alleged that Arvind Kejriwal had made 'false and filthy statements' against Dikshit in a television show.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Sanjay Bansal said that prima facie defamation charges are made against Kejriwal and has put him on trial after he pleaded not guilty.

Kejriwal: Complaints made against me false, I have proof for my claims

The court, during the proceedings said that Kejriwal had indeed defamed Khera and had spoken the defamatory word with an intention to harm his reputation. "Intending to harm, or knowing or having reason to believe that such imputations will harm the reputation of complainant Khera and thus you defamed the complainant and thereby you committed offence punishable under Section 500 (defamation) of the IPC and within my cognizance," the Magistrate said.

In his defense Kejriwal said that Khera was not an aggrieved person and that the complaint made against him is false.

Kejriwal said: "The complainant is not a member of the Congress Party nor has he disclosed his relationship with Sheila Dikshit. There are proofs available in the public domain showing that the electricity distribution companies were given unexplainable benefits."

OneIndia News