Can’t allow ‘scandalous remarks’, says court

The Delhi high court on Thursday said that ‘scandalous’ remarks made by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyer Ram Jethmalani against Union finance minister Arun Jaitley during the latter’s crossexamination in a defamation case cannot be allowed.

“If such allegations have been made on instructions of defendant 1 (Kejriwal), then no point in continuing with cross-examination of plaintiff (Jaitley) any more. Let defendant 1 make good his allegations. Let him step into the box,” said Justice Manmohan.

The court’s observation came after Jaitley’s lawyer apprised it that Jethmalani had used the word “crook” against Jaitley during his cross-examination on Wednesday before a Joint Registrar.

It directed Jaitley’s lawyers to file an application with regard to the adverse remarks made by Jethmalani. “What is to be done when such scandalous remarks are made? It’s unpleasant... cross-examination should be carried out in accordance with law,” the court said.

Senior advocates Rajiv Nayar and Sandeep Sethi, representing Jaitley, had raised the issue before the court saying they want a clarification from Kejriwal whether the remarks were made on his instructions or by Jethmalani on his own.

The counsel said if Kejriwal had instructed his lawyer to make the remark, then they would seek additional aggravated damages of ₹10 crore from him. If on the other hand, Jethmalani had on his own made the remark, then it would be a violation of the Bar Council of India rules. HTC