The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, seeking a stay on criminal defamation case against him over his remarks in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree. 

Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Gujarat High Court order, rejecting his petition which challenged the summons in the defamation case. A bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti dismissed a petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the previous ruling of the apex court rejected a similar petition from co-accused Sanjay Singh.

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The bench also clarified in its order that all contentions are left open to be decided in the trial and that it has not gone into the merits of the matter.

“We must have a consistent approach,” the top court bench was quoted by news agency PTI as saying. Earlier on February 16, the Gujarat High Court had dismissed the pleas of Kejriwal and Singh, seeking quashing of summons issued against them in the case. 

PM Modi Degree Case: 

The defamation case against Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh was reportedly filed by Gujarat University registrar Piyush Patel over their remarks after the Gujarat High Court set aside an order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) on PM Modi’s educational degree.

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Patel stated that the statement was made before the media and was broadcast on X to damage the reputation of the university, despite knowing that such statements would be defamatory. “If there is a degree and it is genuine, then why is it not being given?" Kejriwal said. 

“They are not giving degrees because it might be fake, and If the Prime Minister studied at Delhi University and Gujarat University, then Gujarat University should celebrate that its student became the country’s PM," Kejriwal reportedly said.