Ram Jethmalani, Sacked By Arvind Kejriwal, Turns 'Whistleblower' On Abuse

New Delhi: Firing a fresh salvo against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his former counsel Ram Jethmalani has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party chief used "worse abuses" against Union Minister Arun Jaitley. The two are engaged in war of words after Mr Kejriwal denied that he authorised Mr Jethmalani to use the word "crook" for Mr Jaitley during the hearing of a defamation case against the AAP chief by the Finance Minister.

In the defamation case, Arun Jaitley has said that baseless allegations were made against him publicly - he has been accused by Mr Kejriwal of corruption during his 13-year-term as head of Delhi's powerful cricket body, DDCA.

In a letter that Mr Jethmalani wrote to Mr Kejriwal on July 20, a copy of which he uploaded on his blog yesterday, the senior lawyer said, "When Arun Jaitley filed the first suit and criminal case, you naturally sought my services. Ask your conscience how many times you used worse abuses than a mere 'crook'. You have hundred times asked me to teach this crook a lesson."

Reacting to Mr Jethmalani's letter, a source close to Mr Kejriwal hit out at the lawyer saying, "Conversations between a client and his advocate cannot be put out in the public domain." 

The development comes days after the Delhi Chief Minister said that he had not asked Mr Jethmalani 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 submitted by Mr Kejriwal on July 25 read.

During the cross-examination of Mr Jaitley on May 17, Mr Jethmalani had said, "He (Arun Jaitley) is a crook and I will show this". After Mr Jaitley objected, he had 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".

Responding to Arvind Kejriwal's denial, Mr Jethmalani's office had said, "He had given me instructions, I had recorded it... I have told him that I am no longer appearing. He doesn't want a lawyer now, probably will settle with Arun Jaitley." The senior counsel's office had added that a communication has been sent to Mr Kejriwal to settle the dues, amounting to over Rs 2 crore.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday cautioned Mr Kejriwal against posing "scandalous questions" to Mr Jaitley during his cross-examination in the defamation suit.