PM degree remark: SC stays Gujarat criminal defamation trial against AAP MP in Gujarat Court

Till the time the high court decides on grant or refusal of interim relief, proceedings [in the trial court] shall remain stayed, the SC ruled.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh (File Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: In a partial relief to Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, in its order stayed the criminal defamation proceedings pending against him in a Gujarat trial court over his alleged remarks on PM Narendra Modi’s academic degree.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice BR Gavai and also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta passed the order on Tuesday.

"We request the Gujarat High Court to hear the appeal (filed by Singh) for a stay or at least the prayer for interim relief within four weeks,” the bench said adding that till the time the HC decides his plea on grant or refusal of interim relief, proceedings (in the trial court) shall remain stayed.

The Apex Court, 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."

However, it refused to grant any relief to Singh, who had requested it to transfer the trial outside Gujarat.

Senior advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Singh, told the Apex Court that 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. He is simply innocent in the case.

Along with Singh, the other accused, in the case is Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, who are facing charges of criminal defamation in Ahmedabad in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi degree certificate case for allegedly defaming him by terming his qualification from the varsity “a fake degree”.

It is to be noted that Singh is in judicial custody at present in an another case for his alleged involvement in a money laundering case in Delhi liquor policy scam case.

BY: Suchitra Kalyan Mohanty