New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday recorded pre-summoning evidence in a criminal defamation complaint filed against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for using a slang “thulla” to describe policemen.
The Delhi Police official, who has filed the complaint, appeared before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Pawan Kumar and recorded his statement in support of the allegation. Complainant Ajay Kumar Taneja, who was represented through advocate L N Rao, also sought examination of two witnesses in support of the complaint, after which the court fixed the matter for further hearing on December 2. The court had on August 3 decided it would on Monday record pre-summoning evidence after finding “sufficient material” to proceed with the criminal defamation complaint of Taneja, a constable posted at the Lajpat Nagar Police Station here.
Taneja in his complaint had claimed that he was mentally disturbed and felt insulted and defamed by Kejriwal’s alleged remark. “If a word like ‘thulla’ is used by an eminent personality like the Chief Minister to refer to personnel of Delhi Police, then the general public would too have no respect or regard for police personnel who dedicate their entire lives to maintain law and order in Delhi,” he had said in his complaint.
He had also claimed to have lodged a complaint at Lajpat Nagar Police Station under section 500 (defamation) of IPC, alleging that Kejriwal is liable to be prosecuted for wilfully committing offences punishable under sections 500 and 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) of the IPC. In an interview earlier this year, Kejriwal had talked about the AAP government’s “constraints” in ensuring effective functioning of the Anti-Corruption Branch. Police Commissioner B S Bassi had also hinted his displeasure over the use of word ‘thulla’ by Kejriwal.
