BJP and AAP supporters clashed outside Patiala House Court in Delhi.
Highlights
- Arvind Kejriwal, Finance Minister were both in court
- Finance Minister has accused AAP of defamation, wants Rs. 10 crore
- AAP has accused Mr Jaitley of corruption as head of Delhi cricket body
Arvind Kejriwal and four other leaders from his Aam Aadmi Party have been granted bail by a Delhi court where they have been sued by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for defamation. Ahead of the arrival of the rival A-lister politicians, supporters of both camps clashed outside the court-house.
Here are the 10 latest developments in this case:
After granting the Chief Minister and his colleagues bail, the court fixed the next date of hearing for May 19. Charges will be framed then.
Before the hearing, BJP supporters chanted "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" outside court. The slogan has commissioned a national controversy with the BJP insisting it is a secular patriotic chant and some Muslim leaders rebutting that. Supporters of Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party or AAP replied with abusive chants against Mr Jaitley.
The BJP show of strength was led by OP Sharma, who was arrested for thrashing a Left activist outside the same court complex. Mr Sharma, one of the BJP's three state legislators in Delhi, has been suspended for two sessions for sexist remarks against a woman leader from AAP.
The police drove away two bus loads of BJP supporters.
The court hearing was meant to be begin at 3 pm, but was advanced by an hour upon Mr Kejriwal's request; he said he needs to get to a cabinet meeting after court.
Mr Kejriwal and the other five AAP leaders have been sued by Mr Jaitley, who has also asked for 10 crores in damages, for accusing him publicly of corruption.
The Chief Minister has said Mr Jaitley is culpable in the graft that was allegedly a part of the administration of the Delhi and District Cricket Association. Mr Jaitley headed the association for 13 years till 2013.
Speaking in court at an earlier hearing, Mr Jaitley accused the AAP leaders of conducting "a false, malicious and defamatory campaign" against him and his family for "political mileage causing irreversible damage to him."
"Kejriwal has falsely stated that money was siphoned off and I was the beneficiary," Mr Jaitley told the court, and said the AAP leaders' statements had damaged his reputation.
Mr Kejriwal and the others have claimed that Mr Jaitley's suit is "a classic instance of political vendetta" with a view to "harassing" them and curbing their right to free speech.
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