Ahmedabad: Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh have moved the Gujarat High Court challenging a city sessions court order in a criminal defamation case filed by Gujarat University over their alleged remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications in 2023.

The two leaders approached the high court after the sessions court last week rejected their separate applications, including Kejriwal’s plea for a separate trial on the ground that the case does not disclose any criminal conspiracy or common intention. During the hearing, counsels for both leaders argued their case, while Gujarat University’s lawyers opposed the pleas, terming them an attempt to delay proceedings. Justice M R Mengdey heard the matter and reserved his order.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Gujarat University in April 2023, alleging defamatory remarks against the university and its degrees. The metropolitan court had earlier taken cognisance of the complaint and issued summons to both leaders, following the Gujarat High Court’s decision to quash a Central Information Commission directive seeking disclosure of the Prime Minister’s degree under the RTI Act. DeshGujarat