AAP cries foul over 'unequal fight' between 'penniless' Kejriwal, 'powerful' Jaitley

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday dubbed the defamation case filed against Arvind Kejriwal and other party leaders by Arun Jaitley as an 'unequal fight', saying the Delhi Chief Minister is penniless while the Union Finance Minister is a powerful man.

"Arun Jaitley is a big man and a very rich lawyer. All his life Jaitley fought cases only for rich people involved in big scams whereas Arvind Kejriwal fought for common man and poor. We are fighting against corrupt corporate while Jaitley has been defending many of these corrupt corporate. Jaitley is a rich man but Kejriwal is penniless," AAP leader Ashish Khetan told ANI.

He further said that Jaitley had himself stated in the court that he sued Kejriwal because he happens to be a public functionary.

"He has sued Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, and not an individual," he added.

Welcoming veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani's assertion that he would fight the defamation case against the Delhi Chief Minister for free, Khetan said: "He himself said that if the AAP Government cannot pay his legal fee then he will do it for free considering Arvind Kejriwal as a poor man."

Jethmalani, who is Kejriwal's counsel in the defamation case filed against him by Jaitley, has reportedly sent bills for Rs. one crore in retainership and Rs. 22 lakh for each appearance in court to the Delhi Chief Minister.

Jethmalani has made 11 appearances so far, leading to a total of Rs 3.42 crore.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has signed off on the bills and sent them for clearance to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who has sought the opinion of experts on how to proceed.

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.

Jaitley had filed the suit seeking Rs. 10 crore in damages after Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders accused him of alleged irregularities and financial bungling in the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), of which the former was the president for about 13 years until 2013.