Gujarat High Court Denies Relief to AAP Leaders in Defamation Case Over PM Modi’s Degree Controversy
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The Gujarat High Court on Friday declined to dismiss the summons sent to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, which is a noteworthy move. The issue in question is based on a defamation complaint that Gujarat University filed, claiming that the leaders of the AAP made disparaging remarks about the educational background of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The hearing was presided over by Justice Hasmukh D. Suthar, who dismissed Kejriwal and Singh’s appeal contesting the summons that an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had issued in April of last year. Gujarat University filed a defamation lawsuit after AAP representatives questioned the veracity of PM Modi’s degrees, sparking the dispute. The institution contended that making such claims can mislead a reasonable person into thinking that it grants phoney degrees, harming the university’s reputation.
Following a Sessions Court’s upholding of the summons, AAP leaders filed petitions in the High Court. They questioned the complaint’s viability by arguing that their remarks were not directed specifically at the university. The institution insisted that a trial was necessary since the comments had damaged its reputation.
The Gujarat High Court’s March 2023 ruling that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was not required to reveal Prime Minister Modi’s degree certificates in accordance with the Right to Information Act is the source of this legal dispute. This decision overruled a Chief Information Commission (CIC) directive that required the PMO and the PIOs of Delhi University and Gujarat University to disclose Modi’s educational background. As part of the High Court’s ruling, Kejriwal was also fined ₹25,000.
Kejriwal appealed the single-judge’s ruling after this setback, and the case is currently pending before a division bench of the High Court. Shortly after this decision, Gujarat University launched a slander case, which sparked the current legal action.
Both the High Court and the Supreme Court supported the trial’s continuance in August of last year, defying the AAP leaders’ attempts to secure an interim stop of the proceedings. Senior Counsel Rebecca John and Advocate Aum M Kotwal defended the AAP leaders, while Additional Advocate General Mitesh Amin and Additional Public Prosecutor Manan Mehta represented the State.
This case highlights the intricate relationship between India’s courts, politics, and right to information. It also draws attention to the possible consequences of political officials’ public remarks, highlighting the fine line that must be drawn between allowing free expression and safeguarding an institution’s reputation.
FAQs:
- Why were Sanjay Singh and Arvind Kejriwal summoned?
- What was the foundation of the slander lawsuit at Gujarat University?
- What decision did the Gujarat High Court make under the RTI Act about PM Modi’s degree certificates?
- Are Kejriwal and Singh still being sued for defamation?
- In court, who acted as the State’s and AAP leaders’ representative?
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