New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Friday dismissed the special leave petition filed by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to stay the trial in the criminal defamation case filed by Gujarat University concerning his comments about the Prime Minister’s degree.

The bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti pointed out that Kejriwal’s plea to halt the trial was still under consideration by the Gujarat High Court and is scheduled for August 29. “We do not find it suitable to issue notice in the Special Leave Petition (SLP) since the matter is still being deliberated in the High Court,” the Court observed. The Court further expressed its optimism that the High Court would make a determination on the petition on the stipulated date.

On August 18, Kejriwal approached the Supreme Court after both a city sessions court and the Gujarat High Court had rejected his plea for interim relief earlier in the month. The High Court had denied him interim relief of staying the trial and had posted the matter for August 29th. Earlier, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in Ahmedabad, who oversees the trial in the case, had issued summonses to both Kejriwal and his co-accused AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

This case revolves around alleged derogatory and sarcastic statements made by Kejriwal and AAP leader Sanjay Singh regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications. Kejriwal and Singh entered pleas of not guilty in the metropolitan court with regard to this case initiated by Gujarat University after the High Court turned down the request for interim relief. DeshGujarat