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Kejriwal, three others put on trial in defamation case [Delhi] [Times of India](Times of India Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) NEW DELHI: Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and two others were on Saturday put on trial by a court on charges of defamation in a complaint filed by ex-telecom minister Kapil Sibal's son Amit Sibal. Metropolitan magistrate Sunil Kumar Sharma framed charges against Kejriwal, Bhushan, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia and Shazia Ilmi, who has quit the party, under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The four accused were put on trial by the court after they did not plead guilty to the offence and claimed trial. The court has now fixed January 17, 2015, for recording of evidence in the case. On July 24, last year the court had summoned Kejriwal, Sisodia, Bhushan and Ilmi in the criminal defamation case filed by Amit, who is a senior lawyer. Amit had alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party leaders had said that he had taken advantage of his father's position to represent a telecom company in court cases. In his complaint, Amit had also said that at a press conference on May 15, 2013, the accused had allegedly stated that there was a conflict of interest as Amit had appeared in the Supreme Court for telecom firm Vodafone while his father was the communications minister. On April 15 this year, the Supreme Court had declined to stay the proceedings in the case in the trial court and had said it can only expedite the hearing. (c) 2014 Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited |