Supreme Court Stays Criminal Defamation Proceedings Against AAP MP Sanjay Singh Over Remarks On PM Narendra Modi's Academic Degree

The Supreme Court today stayed the criminal defamation proceedings pending against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh over alleged derogatory remarks made by him against Gujarat University in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's academic degree.

Refusing to entertain Singh's plea to transfer the case out of Gujarat at the present stage, the Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta left the question of grant of interim relief to be considered by the Gujarat High Court within 4 weeks. Till such time, the defamation case before the trial Court has been stayed.

Senior Advocate Dr. AM Singhvi appeared for Singh and submitted that the trial Judge was continuing with the proceedings, despite Singh's plea for stay pending before the High Court. It was urged that not a word was said by Singh against respondent No.1/Gujarat University, which is the complainant in the case.

Notably, the case before the trial Court had arisen out of a complaint by the Gujarat University over remarks allegedly made by Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the academic degree of PM Narendra Modi. The complaint accused the AAP leaders of making sarcastic and defamatory statements in press conferences and on Twitter handles targeting the University over PM Modi's degree.

Subsequently, Kejriwal and Singh were summoned by a Magistrate Court in Gujarat. In April last year, both were prima facie found to have targeted the Gujarat University. A review petition filed by the leaders against issuance of summons was rejected by Sessions court at Ahmedabad in September, 2023.

Today, after hearing submissions, the Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta ordered,

"We are not inclined to entertain the transfer petition at this stage. However, in the interest of justice, we request the High Court to decide the petition filed by the present petitioner for stay of the proceedings before the learned trial Judge or atleast the prayer for interim relief within a period of 4 weeks from today. We further direct that till the decision of the High Court on the grant or refusal of the interim relief, the proceedings before the learned trial Judge shall stand stayed".

Case Title: Sanjay Singh v. Dr. Piyush M. Patel and Anr., T.P.(Crl) 16/2024

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