The Supreme Court on April 8 refused to entertain a special leave petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh challenging a defamation case registered against him for his alleged comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualification.
“We are not inclined to entertain this petition,” a Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Mehta decided in a short order.
Justice Mehta said Mr. Singh, represented by senior advocate Rebecca John and A.M. Singhvi, would have his chance in court during trial.
The Bench, however, acknowledged Mr. Singhvi’s request that all questions of law and facts should be kept open to be raised in future proceedings and the trial judge would not be influenced by the order of the apex court.
The High Court had on February 16 dismissed the pleas made by Mr. Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to quash the summons issued against them in the defamation case.
A Gujarat metropolitan court had earlier summoned Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Singh in the defamation case over their alleged “sarcastic” and “derogatory” statements in connection with Mr. Modi’s educational degrees.
Gujarat University Registrar Piyush Patel had filed the defamation case accusing the two AAP leaders of making “defamatory” statements at press conferences and on social media. The alleged comments had dented the prestige of the university, the complaint said.
