Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted exemption from personal appearance by a court on Thursday. He has been summoned as an accused in a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by BJP MP Ramesh Bhiduri.
Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh granted relief to Kejriwal for the day after his counsel told the court that he would not be able to attend the proceedings as he was engaged in some Government meetings.
The court has now fixed the matter for further hearing on June 6.
Kejriwal was summoned as an accused by the court in February on a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by Bidhuri, an MP from South Delhi parliamentary constituency, under section 500 (defamation) of the IPC.
Bidhuri has alleged in his complaint that Kejriwal had defamed him during an interview given to a news channel. He has alleged that Kejriwal had falsely said criminal cases were pending against Bidhuri and a Congress leader but the Delhi Police was not taking action against them.