Setback for CM Kejriwal: Delhi HC rejects plea to dismiss BJP defamation case over ’Baniya, Muslim names removed’ remark

On Monday, the Delhi High Court rejected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bid to quash the defamation case filed against him and other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders. The case centers around remarks allegedly made by Delhi CM Kejriwal and other AAP leaders about the alleged deletion of 30 lakh voters' names from the electoral rolls in Delhi.

Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta dismissed the AAP leaders’ plea challenging the defamation proceedings, which were originally upheld by a sessions court following a magisterial court's decision to summon them.

The high court, which had previously stayed the proceedings on February 28, 2020, has now vacated the interim order, directing the parties to appear before the trial court on October 3.

The high court, while pronouncing its order, said the summoning order of the trial court does not call for any interference.

The AAP leaders had sought the quashing of the magisterial court's March 15, 2019 and sessions court's January 28, 2020 orders.

What is AAP, Arvind Kejriwal accused of?

The defamation complaint was brought forward by BJP leader Rajeev Babbar, who alleged that Arvind Kejriwal and three other AAP leaders—former Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Gupta, and party leaders Manoj Kumar and Atishi—made damaging statements during a December 2018 press conference.

According to Babbar, the AAP leaders accused the BJP of orchestrating the alleged removal of 30 lakh voters' names from the electoral rolls, particularly targeting individuals from ‘Baniya, Poorvanchali, and Muslim communities’.

Babbar’s complaint asserts that these allegations were intended to harm the BJP’s reputation.

What AAP said?

The AAP leaders, in their plea, contended that the trial court and the sessions court had misinterpreted the facts and that no defamation had occurred. They argued that the statements in question did not specifically target Babbar or his party.

Despite these arguments, the Delhi High Court concluded that the trial court's summoning order did not warrant any interference, effectively allowing the defamation proceedings to continue.