Anti-Modi tweets: Court dismisses complaint against Kejriwal

New Delhi, May 31

In a relief to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed a criminal complaint filed against him for allegedly using "defamatory and seditious" words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the CBI raid at his Principal Secretary's office.

A complaint was filed against Kejriwal that his comments on his Twitter account on December 15, 2015, that 'Modi is a coward and a psychopath', amounted to defamation and sedition.

However, Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra rejected the complaint, saying the CM did not say anything to disturb the tranquillity of the state or to bring into hatred to contempt the sovereign of the government.

“From the facts of the case it is clear that the alleged derogatory expression used by the Chief Minister after the CBI raid was ventilation of frustration being aggrieved by the raid. The words and expressions used by him are not intended or directed to disturb the tranquillity of the state which may lead ignorant persons to subvert the government and laws of the country.

“There is no element of attempt to induce discontent, insurrection, to stir up opposition to the government and bring the administration of justice into contempt. The alleged derogatory words are neither attempted nor excited discontent or dissatisfaction, public disturbance or lead to civil war to bring into hatred to contempt the sovereign of the government," the court said.

Complainant-advocate Pradeep Dwivedi had sought Kejriwal's prosecution under Sections 124A (sedition) and 500 (defamation) of the IPC, alleging there was "seditious intention" behind the remarks which spread "hatred and contempt" against the Prime Minister. — PTI