Even as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved court on Monday against AAP leaders for allegedly making defamatory charges against him, the flurry of allegations continued unabated.
The Delhi government upped the ante, instituting a fresh inquiry into the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
Jaitley, flanked by BJP leaders and ministerial colleagues JP Nadda, M Venkaiah Naidu, Smriti Irani, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal Kejriwal, filed a complaint before a metropolitan magistrate in Patiala House Courts on Monday afternoon.
He has accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai of making defamatory remarks against him in a press conference and via Twitter.
The complaint has been filed for the alleged offences under sections 499 (defamation), 500 (punishment for defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 502 (sale of printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter), 34 (common intention) and 35 (when such an act is criminal by reason of its being done with a criminal knowledge or intention) of the IPC.
During the hearing, Jaitley’s lawyer Siddharth Luthra said the AAP leaders had made false allegations about the Finance Minister, over his alleged association with 21st Century Media Pvt Ltd.
“Neither Jaitley nor any of his family members have any connections with 21st Century Media Pvt Ltd. Records of Registrar of Companies can be summoned to see that Jaitley has no connection whatsoever with this firm,” Luthra said.
Damage of reputationLuthra argued that the AAP leaders had deliberately — and with a mala fide design — made false allegations about Jaitley to create an impression that money has been siphoned.
These defamatory statements have damaged Jaitley’s reputation and have caused irreversible damage to him, the lawyer said.
“Jaitley has not taken any pecuniary advantage from DDCA at all. There are DDCA records which can be summoned. These statements by the AAP leaders are politically motivated,” he said while reading out the tweets of the AAP leaders.
But even as Jaitley approached court, Kejriwal kept up a steady attack and instituted a commission of enquiry headed by former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium.
“Jaitley ji should not threaten us by moving court. We will continue our war against corruption,” said Kejriwal, who chaired a Cabinet meeting during the day to institute a three-member inquiry. “Jaitley ji should cooperate with the Commission of Enquiry and prove his innocence there,” he added.
Freedom of speechWhile the issue rocked Parliament, with the Opposition raising it in both the Houses, the BJP was embarrassed further by its MP Kirti Azad.
Azad dared Jaitley to file a defamation case against him. “Hello dear @arunjaitley hamper defamation file kar rahe ho na ? Please karo na (Hello Dear Arun Jaitley, I hope you’re filing a defamation case against me. Please do it). Don’t take injunction, don’t gag freedom of speech,” he said in a series of tweets.
“ Mera naam kyon hata diya @arunjaitley #AAP netoh mere letters dikhae theey, mujhpar karo na case , registered post se maine bheje theey (Why have you removed my name? AAP only showed the letters that I wrote. Please file a case against me because I sent the letters to AAP by registered post),” he added.