Arun Jaitley opposes AAP leader’s appeal in defamation case

NEWDELHI:Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday opposed in the Delhi High Court AAP leader Deepak Bajpai’s plea challenging the lower court’s order summoning him in a criminal defamation case, saying it was a “sorry attempt” to delay the trial.

Jaitley, in an affidavit, said the plea was devoid of any merit as no sincere attempt has been made by him to satisfy the grounds for condonation of the gross delay in filing the petition. He said the plea has been filed after over one-and-a half years, which “establishes a clear case of malafide and a sorry attempt to delay the ongoing trial”.

The high court was hearing a plea by the AAP leader who along with others was put on trial in the defamation case, filed by Jaitley against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders in the controversy surrounding the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).

Bajpai has challenged the lower court order summoning and framing notice against him for the alleged offence of defamation. He has also challenged the order by which his application seeking to be heard on the point of notice was also rejected.

Justice I S Mehta posted the matter for on September 21.

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Jaitley, said there was no urgency in the matter before the HC and the criminal revision petition was filed to stall or delay on-going trial in a case before the chief metropolitan magistrate.

“The petitioner (Bajpai) has stated three events which according to him have resulted in delay in filing of the criminal revision petition, these include Punjab Assembly election, MCD elections of NCT Delhi and the Bawana by-poll.

It is submitted that the Punjab legislative election were held on February 4, the MCD elections on April 23 and the Bawana by-poll on August 23,” the affidavit filed through advocate Manik Dogra said.