Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot virtually appears in Delhi court in defamation case; next hearing on Sept. 6

Sources said that the Rajasthan CM appeared in the court via video conferencing from Circuit House given his busy scheduled in view of his tour to Jodhpur.

Jodhpur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday virtually appeared in the Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court in the defamation case filed against him by Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, sources said. Sources said that CM Gehlot appeared in the hearing, third in the case, via video conferencing from Circuit House as he is currently on Jodhpur tour.

It is learnt that the court after hearing the arguments deferred the matter to Sept. 6 for the next hearing. The court also directed Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to be present on the next hearing of the case. Significantly, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has filed a defamation case against Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot for allegedly calling Shekhawat and his family members as accused in the Sanjivani Cooperative Society scam.

Following the defamation case, the court issued summons against Gehlot on 6th July. Gehlot had later moved the court to file an appeal to allow him to appear virtually in the court hearings. Pertinently, the alleged defamatory statement was made by the Rajasthan chief minister about six months ago. Gehlot, after meeting the investors of Sanjivani Society in Jodhpur, had said that Shekhawat and his family members were accused in the scam.

Gehlot had said that the accused “should come forward and make efforts to return the money to the investors”. It is notable that the report of the SOG in this regard has been presented in the Rajasthan High Court. But the court later stayed the arrest of Shekhawat.