Defamation case: Delhi HC warns Kejriwal against 'scandalous, abusive' language

The Delhi High Court while hearing a plea on Wednesday seeking expeditious discharge in contempt petition filed by Union Minister Arun Jaitley against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, warned the latter that no scandalous or abusive question would be asked to plaintiff by the defendants lawyer.

During the hearing, objection was raised that words like 'crook' and 'guilty of crime' have been used for the plaintiff during cross examination.

The court directed defendant Kejriwal that no scandalous or abusive question would be asked to plaintiff by the defendants lawyer during the cross examination.

During the hearing of the application, the court also observed that if scandalous and abusive language would be used by the counsel of a person who is sitting on a constitutional post, then what example will it set for the common people.

However, Kejriwal filed an affidavit in the court saying that he has not given any instruction to his counsel to use word like crook or guilty of crime during the cross examination.

The Delhi High Court was hearing the defamation plea filed by Jaitley over the use of an 'objectionable word' by Kejriwal's counsel Ram Jethmalani.

A notice was issued to Kejriwal to respond on why defamation proceedings should not be initiated against him.

Jaitley's application also contends that Kejriwal's intention is to delay the conclusion of recording of evidence by posing irrelevant questions, which are designed to be insulting and annoying.

His application sought directions to expedite the recording of evidence in a time bound, fair, dignified and bonafide manner in the ongoing civil defamation case for Rs. 10 crore against Kejriwal.

Jaitley's application came in connection with the defamation case against Kejriwal in the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) case. Jaitley had filed a criminal defamation suit against Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders including Ashutosh, Kumar Vishwas, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chaddha and Deepak Bajpai.

In his complaint, Jaitley had accused Kejriwal and others of defaming him in a controversy regarding the DDCA and sought Rs 10 crore as damages. Jaitley was president of the DDCA for over a decade.