New Delhi: Spit and run fame Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wants the taxpayer to foot his legal bills of Rs. 3.8 crore for criminal and civil defamation cases filed against him by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Mr Kejriwal engaged a battery of lawyers to represent him, including Ram Jethmalani, one of the most expensive lawyers in the country who has reportedly sent bills for Rs. 1 crore in retainership and Rs. 22 lakh for each appearance in court to the Delhi Chief Minister.. Mr Kejriwal’s deputy, Manish Sisodia, has signed off on the bills and sent them for clearance to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who has sought the opinion of experts on how to proceed.

Arun Jaitley has sued Mr Kejriwal and other AAP leaders for allegedly making “false and defamatory” statements accusing him of financial irregularities when he was president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association or DDCA. The finance minister, a famous lawyer too, has sought Rs. 10 crore in damages in the cases filed in 2015.

Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, spokesperson in the BJP’s Delhi unit tweeted this evening:

. @ArvindKejriwal paid Rs 4 Crore Delhi Public money to Mr Ram jethmalanai in his personal legal case (Sh Jaitly Defmiantion case) pic.twitter.com/aR2wNwpN8N

— Tajinder Pal S Bagga (@TajinderBagga) April 3, 2017