Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a remark in a TV interview in which he had referred to police as "thulla". (File photo)
A Delhi court has reserved its order on whether to summon Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by a police constable for allegedly using a slang "thulla" to describe policemen.
Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg, after hearing the arguments of a constable posted at Govindpuri police station here on the issue of summoning the chief minister, fixed May 20 for pronouncement of order.
"Arguments on summoning heard. Put up for clarifications, if any,/order on May 20, 2016," the magistrate said.
This is another complaint against the Chief Minister, who has already been summoned for July 14 on a similar plea of a constable of Lajpat Nagar police station by a court which held that prima facie he committed the offence of defamation.
The court reserved the order on the present complaint lodged by constable Harvinder on July 22, 2015, which had claimed he was insulted by Mr Kejriwal's remark in a TV interview in which the chief minister had referred to police as "thulla".
The policeman had sought summoning of Mr Kejriwal in the case for the alleged offence under section 500 (defamation) and 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) of IPC contending that the word used by him had demoralised the entire police agency.
The plea, filed through lawyer LN Rao, had contended that "using a derogatory and demeaning term like 'thulla' to refer to police personnel is equivalent to referring to all Delhi Police officials as lethargic and unproductive."
"This word has, therefore, harmed the reputation of the complainant in the eyes of general public including his family, relative and friends," it had said.