SC stays Gujarat criminal defamation case against AAP MP Sanjay Singh

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the criminal defamation proceedings pending in a Gujarat court against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member of Parliament Sanjay Singh over his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s academic degree.
A bench of justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while declining to entertain Singh’s request to transfer the trial outside Gujarat. “…request the high court to hear the appeal for a stay or at least the prayer for interim relief within four weeks,” it said. “Till the time the high court decides on grant or refusal of interim relief, proceedings [in the trial court] shall remain stayed.”
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has also been named as an accused in the defamation case. On December 28, the Gujarat court sought the production of Singh even as it was informed that he was under arrest in connection with an alleged money laundering case.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Singh, said the intent is to hold his client guilty and disqualify him even as his appeal seeking stay is pending before the high court. He added Singh has not spoken a word against the Gujarat University, which is the complainant in the case.
The bench told Singhvi if a disqualification order is passed, the Supreme Court is there to take care of it. “We will direct the high court to decide the matter within one month. The trial proceedings otherwise too have to be stayed as long as he [Singh] is in custody. In a defamation case, the accusation has to be read over to the person.”
Singhvi said the university is state government-funded and overall under the Union government’s control. The bench asked: “Why should you have apprehension…” Singhvi added, “It is about the overall system. Although in the petition I have requested for transfer to Kolkata, it can be anywhere else. I said Kolkata as it is a state where my political party is not affiliated.”