The Gujarat High Court on 13 January 2026 dismissed Arvind Kejriwal’s petition seeking a separate trial from Sanjay Singh in the criminal defamation case related to alleged remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational degree. The case, filed by Gujarat University, stems from comments made by the Aam Aadmi Party leaders in April 2023. The High Court upheld previous lower court decisions, maintaining that both accused would be tried together.
According to Live Law, Justice M.R. Mengdey pronounced the order dismissing Kejriwal’s application for a separate trial. The court found that the actions of Kejriwal and Singh were part of a single transaction, as both made statements in response to the Gujarat High Court’s order on 31 March 2023 regarding the disclosure of Prime Minister Modi’s degree.
As reported by The Hindu, the defamation case was initiated by Gujarat University registrar Piyush Patel, who cited “sarcastic and derogatory” statements made by the two AAP leaders. The remarks were allegedly made during press conferences and on social media, targeting the university’s reputation following the High Court’s decision to set aside the Central Information Commission’s order for degree disclosure.
As highlighted by Hindustan Times, Kejriwal and Singh argued that the accusations and dates of the incidents were distinct, and that evidence against one should not be used against the other. However, the courts found that both leaders, as members of the same political party, acted with a common purpose and continuity, justifying a joint trial under Section 223 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The sessions court had previously observed that the press conferences held by Kejriwal and Singh on 1 and 2 April 2023, respectively, were in response to the same judicial order and were part of a coordinated action. The High Court agreed with this assessment, stating that the alleged defamatory language and video uploads were part of a single transaction. Legal analysis confirmed that Section 223 CrPC allows for joint trials when offences are committed in the course of the same transaction.
“Here in facts of the present case, the applicant and accused No.2 being the Office Bearer and Members of the same political party and acted upon by making statement on 1/04/2023 and 02/04/2023 respectively, in reply to the and after the pronouncement of the order of the Hon'ble High Court of Gujarat on 31st March, 2023. Therefore, it seems that they were engaged in one transaction and that is animated by a common purpose and there is a continuity in their action,” the sessions court order stated.
Summons had been issued to both leaders after the magistrate court found a prima facie case under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code. Further proceedings will continue with both accused being tried together, as the High Court’s order has now affirmed the lower courts’ decisions.
The complaint alleges that the statements by Kejriwal and Singh were widely disseminated through media and social platforms, with the intent to damage the university’s image. The High Court’s decision follows earlier rejections of separate trial pleas by the magistrate and sessions courts, which had both found the actions of the accused to be sufficiently linked. The detailed order from the High Court is awaited as the case progresses.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.