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Synopsis

The Ahmedabad Sessions Court today refused to quash the summons issued to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh in the defamation case filed against them regarding their alleged defamatory remarks concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's academic degree.

Additional Sessions Judge J M Brahmbhatt dismissed the two criminal revision applications filed by Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh against the summons issued to them by the magistrate court. 

This case stems from a defamation complaint filed by Gujarat University against Kejriwal and Singh, accusing them of tarnishing the university's reputation. The university sued the politicians for making derogatory statements about their refusal to disclose Prime Minister Modi's degree.

Following the university's complaint, a Magistrate's court issued a summons to the two politicians in April of this year. On April 17, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jayeshbhai Chovatiya ruled that Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh's statements were prima facie defamatory.

The judge based this decision on the examination of oral and digital evidence presented on a pen drive. This evidence included Kejriwal's tweets and speeches made after a judgment by the Gujarat High Court, which had permitted the university not to reveal Prime Minister Modi's degree. Additionally, the High Court had imposed a ₹25,000 fine on Kejriwal.

The Sessions Court of Ahmedabad had earlier reserved the order in the plea filed by Kejriwal and Singh against the order of the magistrate court. 

Earlier the Gujarat High Court had directed the Principal Sessions Judge of Ahmedabad to transfer to a different court the revision application filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against summons issued to him in the defamation case registered against him over his remark made against Prime Minister Modi about his degree.

Case Title: Arvind Kejriwal Vs. Piyush Patel

Source: Indian Express.