New Delhi : Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail in a criminal defamation complaint filed by DDCA and cricketer-turned-politician Chetan Chauhan after he appeared before a court on Tuesday which insisted on his presence.
Kejriwal, who initially filed a plea through his counsel for exemption from personal appearance for the day, appear- ed before Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra, who said the accused has to first establish his identity before the court and there should be a valid ground for seeking exemption.
The court said the offence of defamation was bailable and granted bail to Kejriwal on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and a surety of the like amount. The chief minister’s counsel moved an application seeking dropping of proceedings against him and sought exemption from personal appearance till the time court decides the plea.
The submission, however, did not go down well with the court which asked the counsel to show where does the law says that the accused is exempted till the time his application is pending.
“Where under the law it is written that till an application is pending you (accused) are exempted from appearance? Show me the law, I have to decide it today only,” the magistrate said, adding there was no immunity to CMs from appearance. PTI
