Better to be sorry, and safe?: In fifth defamation case, Arvind Kejriwal pleads ‘mistake’

The Supreme Court on Monday restrained a trial court from proceeding with a defamation case against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that was filed by complainant Vikas Sankrityayan for retweeting a YouTube video against the BJP’s IT cell. This came after Kejriwal regretted retweeting the allegedly defamatory video, calling it a “mistake”.

This is the fifth time the CM has offered similar defence in a defamation case — the other four were filed in quick succession in March-April 2018, and was seen as Kejriwal’s bid to settle court cases as the AAP planned its bid for general elections.

After each apology, the courts or the complainants granted the AAP supremo relief.

April 2018: Apology to the late BJP leader Arun Jaitley

In December 2015, Jaitley filed a criminal defamation case against Kejriwal and five other AAP leaders after they alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) while the BJP leader was its president. Jaitley denied the allegations and filed a civil defamation suit for Rs 10 crore in the High Court.

Jaitley later filed a separate Rs 10 crore defamation case against Kejriwal alleging that the AAP leader’s lawyer in the suit, Ram Jethmalani, had used “objectionable words” against him during his cross-examination.

In letters dated April 1, 2018, the AAP leaders offered their “sincere apology” to Jaitley and to his family members “for any harm caused” to their “reputation” as a consequence of the allegations. The leaders said they made the allegations based on papers given to them by individuals who claimed to have first-hand knowledge of the affairs of the DDCA.

“However, I have recently discovered that the information and the imputations contained therein are unfounded