The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s response to a plea filed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley alleging that Kejriwal filed a false affidavit in a long-running defamation case.
Kejriwal has been asked to answer if he lied in court when he said that he had not directed his former lawyer Ram Jethmalani to use derogatory language Jaitley in the court.
Jethmalani had used derogatory words against Jaitley during cross-examination in the Rs 10 crore Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) defamation suit filed against Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Party leaders by the Finance Minister in 2015.
While Kejriwal later filed an affidavit in the court saying Jethmalani was "not instructed" to use objectionable words against Jaitley, Jethmalani maintained he used those words at Kejriwal’s behest.
In a fresh plea, Jaitley sought direction to allow him to file a criminal complaint against Kejriwal for making a false statement and filing a false affidavit.
In addition to this, Jaitley had also filed a fresh Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Kejriwal on the very issue of Jethmalani using objectionable words during cross-examination of the previously existing defamation suit.
Jaitley, in the second civil defamation suit against Kejriwal, said the objectionable words caused him "permanent harm and disrepute".
(With inputs from IANS)
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