File photo of Arvind Kejriwal
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and two other Aam Admi Party (AAP) leaders were today granted bail by a Delhi court in a criminal defamation complaint filed against them by an advocate after they furnished a personal bond.
Metropolitan Magistrate Muneesh Garg released Mr Kejriwal, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Yogendra Yadav on bail after they appeared before it in pursuance to summons issued against them.
Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia and Mr Yadav, through advocate Rishikesh Kumar, furnished a personal bond of Rs 10,000 each.
The court has now fixed the matter for August 16.
The court had earlier summoned them on the complaint of advocate Surender Kumar Sharma under sections 499, 500 (defamation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
It said there was prima facie material to summon the accused.
"The press release published in newspapers as well as testimonies of witnesses reflect that defamatory remarks were published in the newspaper which the reputation of the complainant in the society and lowered his reputation in the eyes of other members of the society," the court said.
The court, however, had rejected the complainant's plea that AAP leaders had conspired and cheated him, saying in the absence of the very element of deception, there was no prima facie material against any of the accused for the offence of cheating and criminal conspiracy.
Mr Sharma had alleged that in 2013 he was approached by volunteers of AAP who asked him to contest the Delhi Assembly election on party ticket as Mr Kejriwal was pleased with his
social services.
He filled up the application form for contesting on AAP ticket and was later on told by Mr Sisodia and Mr Yadav that the Political Affairs Committee of the party had decided to give him the ticket but it was later denied to him.
He started his political campaign and incurred expenses of about five lakhs on the campaign, the complaint alleged.