The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in the defamation summons served to AAP MP Sanjay Singh, concerning his remarks regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualifications. The summons, issued by a Gujarat court in response to a defamation case filed by Gujarat University registrar Piyush Patel, was challenged by Singh. This legal battle stems from alleged comments made by Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal following the Gujarat High Court’s decision to withhold information about Modi’s degrees under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

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Earlier in January, the Supreme Court had halted the proceedings in a trial court regarding the defamation complaint against Kejriwal and Singh, as per reports from news agency PTI. During a recent hearing, a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta addressed Singh’s plea for transferring the case to a location outside Gujarat, suggesting Kolkata as a preferable venue.

The apex court has directed the Gujarat High Court to reach a decision within four weeks regarding the AAP leaders’ request to annul the summonses issued by the trial court.

Last August, the Supreme Court had dismissed Kejriwal’s plea contesting the high court’s refusal to suspend the criminal defamation proceedings initiated by the university. The high court had denied Kejriwal and Singh’s interim stay plea against the defamation charges, which were initially brought by a Gujarat metropolitan court following their purportedly disparaging comments regarding Modi’s educational credentials.

In response to Patel’s complaint, alleging defamation by the AAP leaders through derogatory statements made at press conferences and on social media, the sessions court rejected the leaders’ plea for halting the trial. Subsequently, they sought relief from the high court.

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Patel asserted that the comments made by Kejriwal and Singh tarnished the reputation of Gujarat University, which enjoys significant public esteem. The complaint stems from the fallout of the Central Information Commission’s decision in 2016 to disclose information about Modi’s educational qualifications to Kejriwal, a decision later annulled by the high court, citing political motivations rather than genuine public interest.