The controversy between Delhi Chief Minister and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has further escalated as the latter has slapped another defamation case against Delhi CM after his lawyer Ram Jathmalani addressed Jaitley as “crook”.
The Delhi High Court last week had said that the remarks made by Jethmalani against Jaitley were “scandalous”. Kejriwal is already fighting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in an existing defamation case that was filed for Rs. 10 crore.
Justice Manmohan said if such remarks were made on instructions of Kejriwal, then he should “first step into the box and make good his allegations” before continuing with Jaitley’s cross examination.
“If such allegations have been made on instructions of Defendant 1 (Kejriwal), then no point in continuing with cross examination of plaintiff (Jaitley) any more. Let Defendant 1 make good his allegations. Let him step into the box,” the judge had said.
Earlier on Thursday, amidst an ongoing tense round of cross-questioning between Jailtey and Jethmalani, the former was perturbed after being referred to as a ‘crook’ by the 93-year-old veteran lawyer, in his defamation case against the Aam Aadmi Party convener, resulting in a verbal spat between the two parties.
Jaitley’s lawyer Manik Dogra said, “We have filed a fresh suit for defamation against Arvind Kejriwal seeking Rs. 10 crore in damages for ex-facie defamation as his lawyer Ram Jethmalani, in the open court, called Mr. Jaitley a crook.”
Dogra added that the statement by Jethmalani was recorded in the judicial order, where he had stated that he used the words on “specific instructions of his client” Kejriwal.
Jaitley had filed a criminal defamation complaint against Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders for allegedly defaming him in the Patiala House Court while a civil defamation case was filed in the Delhi High Court.
Earlier in March, in a major jolt to Kejriwal, a Delhi Court put the former on trial in the criminal defamation case. The court had also framed a notice against Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in this case.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass framed defamation notice against Kejriwal and other AAP leaders. Meanwhile, Kejriwal and other AAP leaders have pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
The hearing regarding the fresh suit is likely to take place in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday.
