Kumar Bahukhandi
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court refused to quash the proceedings of the defamation case against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Minister Atishi and other leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The defamation case filed by BJP leader Rajiv Babbar was challenged by the CM and other AAP leaders.
Kejriwal had filed a petition in the High Court seeking quashing of the case filed by BJP leader Rajiv Babbar in 2019.
Rajiv Babbar had filed a defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, including Atishi, accusing them of defaming the BJP. He did this regarding the claim of Kejriwal and Atishi in which AAP leaders had accused the BJP that the party had removed 30 lakh names from the voter list in Delhi, which mainly included people from the ‘Baniya, Muslim’ community. Rajiv Babbar had complained against Kejriwal, Atishi, Sushil Kumar Gupta and Manoj Kumar.
According to Bar and Bench, Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta said that in a democracy, the public has the right to know the truth and correct information, but mudslinging by politicians cannot be allowed. In the present case, the allegations leveled by the Aam Aadmi Party against the BJP are defamatory and were made with the aim of gaining political advantage by defaming the BJP.
Babbar said in the court that AAP leaders held a press conference in December 2018 and alleged that at the behest of the BJP, the Election Commission removed the names of about 30 lakh Bania, Purvanchali and Muslim voters from the voter list. Babbar said that the allegation of removal of names from the voter list tarnished the image of his party. The magistrate had issued summons against Kejriwal and others in March 2019. AAP leaders approached the Sessions Court against this but after not getting relief there, they knocked the door of the High Court. The High Court issued a notice and stayed the proceedings on 28 February 2022.
