Defamation Case: Arvind Kejriwal denies 'instructing' Ram Jethmalani to call Arun Jaitley a 'crook'

Facing a Rs 10 crore defamation suit, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday denied instructing senior counsel Ram Jethmalani to call Union Minister Arun Jaitley a ‘crook’. Kejriwal filed an affidavit in the Delhi High Court washing his hands off the incident. Ram Jethmalani had called Jaitley a crook during cross examination in the trial of the defamation suit filed by the minister.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley filed a second civil defamation suit amounting to Rs 10 crore against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi High Court.

During a heated conversation between Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani and Arun Jaitley, he asked if Jethmalani had used the word as per his client’s instructions. “If this is so, I would aggravate the charges against the defendant (Kejriwal),” Jaitley had said, adding that there was a limit to personal malice.

Kejriwal in an affidavit submitted to the Delhi High Court brushed away the allegations stating that Jethmalani was not instructed by him to use objectionable words against the minister. "With due respect, it is submitted that neither Kejriwal nor the counsel briefing the senior counsel Jethmalani gave instructions to the senior counsel to use the objectionable words on May 17, 2017," the affidavit read.

During the proceedings on May 17, Mr Jethmalani had said, "He (Arun Jaitley) is a crook and I will show this". After Mr Jaitley objected, he said, "Let the court note that I am doing this with my client's consent". In response, Mr Jaitley had said he would seek "aggravated damages".