PM educational degree row: Setback for Kejriwal as Gujarat High Court rejects his plea
The AAP leader had filed a revision application in the sessions court challenging the metropolitan court's summons in the defamation case.
The Gujarat High Court on Thursday rejected a review plea by AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal against non-disclosure of PM Modi's educational degree and imposed Rs 25,000 as fine on the Delhi chief minister. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat University, contended that Kejriwal's review plea was aimed at "keeping the controversy alive for no reason".
One of the key contentions in Kejriwal review plea was that contrary to Gujarat University's claim that Modi's degree was available online, no information was available on the university's website. The Gujarat High Court had earlier rejected AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking an interim stay on the criminal defamation proceedings against them filed by Gujarat University in connection with remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree.
Gujarat University Registrar Piyush Patel had filed a defamation case against Kejriwal and Singh over their comments after the Gujarat High Court set aside an order of the Chief Information Commissioner on PM Modi’s degree. They made “defamatory” statements in press conferences and on Twitter handles targeting the university over Modi's degree, the complainant stated.
During the previous hearing, senior lawyer Percy Kavina, appearing for Kejriwal, had asked Justice Vaishnav to reconsider his judgement claiming that Gujarat University never uploaded Modi's degree on its website as submitted before the court.
(With PTI inputs)