Court agrees to hear defamation complaint against Kejriwal

A court here on Monday agreed to hear defamation complaint against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegdly using derogatory word "thulla" to describe policemen.

Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar allowed the plea of constable Ajay Kumar Taneja, from Lajpat Nagar police station in south Delhi, seeking action against Kejriwal claiming that he was "hurt" by the remark and felt "insulted and defamed".

The court said that there is sufficient material to proceed with the complaint and granted the complainant to lead pre-summoning evidence, and posted the matter for October 5 when it will record the statement of complaint's witnesses.

The plea said that Kejriwal is liable to be prosecuted for committing offences punishable under sections 500 and 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) of the Indian Penal Code.

This is the second complaint filed by a constable of the Delhi Police on the issue.

"If a word like 'thulla' is used by an eminent personality like Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, to refer to personnel of Delhi Police, then the general public would have no respect or regard for police personnel who dedicate their entire lives to maintaining law and order in the capital," said the complainant in his plea.

"Due to the acute agony and hurt caused by the attitude of Kejriwal towards the Delhi Police, the complainant was unable to concentrate on his job as he was very much disturbed," it added.