A Delhi court on Monday posted for August 21 Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s defamation complaint filed against Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for ‘misleading statements’ against him in connection with the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam.

Before the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Court, Gehlot appeared virtually for the hearing since sessions/revision court’s Special Judge M K Nagpal had, on August 1, said that his physical and personal appearance before the magistrate on August 7 may not be practically convenient and necessary.

“It is pertinent to mention here that vide order dated August 1, 2023, Revision Court (Ld. ASJ Special Judge, CBI­09) has directed this court to allow the accused to appear through VC and has further directed that this court shall not insist on the accused furnishing bail bonds today,” ACMM Jaspal noted.

Accordingly, he directed the accused to furnish bail bonds on the next date of hearing and appear in person for the said purpose, unless otherwise directed by the revision court.

The magistrate then posted the matter for hearing on August 21 for scrutiny of documents in the case.

“…let the matter be taken up before this court on 21.08.2023. Be kept for scrutiny of documents/further proceedings,” the judge said.

When Gehlot had moved to sessions court against the magistrate’s order, which had, on July 6, issued summons to him in the case, and had ordered him to appear on August 7, Judge Nagpal had refused to stay the proceedings.

The judge saw no ground for staying the proceedings.

The judge had directed the ACMM not to insist on the physical presence of Gehlot on August 7, and permitted him to join the proceedings through Video Conferencing (VC).

“Though physical and personal appearance of the petitioner as an accused before the ACMM in the above said case on August 7, 2023 may not be practically convenient and necessary, but this court sees no reason or ground for staying the proceedings of above complaint case or as to why appearance cannot be filed by petitioner in the said court through Video Conferencing mode,” the judge had said.

Judge Nagpal had posted the matter for further hearing on Gehlot’s application on August 19.

He also directed Sekhawat to file his formal reply and detailed arguments on facts as well as on law.

Earlier, the court had directed the police to investigate Shekhawat’s complaint.

Judge Jaspal had said that the investigation should be such that the answers to these three questions — whether complainant Shekhawat was addressed as “an accused” in the Sanjivani scam by the accused Gehlot, whether Gehlot stated that the allegations against Shekhawat stand proved in the Sanjivani scam and whether Shekhawat or his family members have been arrayed as “an accused” in the investigation of the scam — are answered.

Shekhawat filed the defamation case against Gehlot in March this year and had said that an investigation was initiated in the Sanjivani case but his name was not mentioned anywhere and demanded the prosecution of Gehlot for criminal defamation under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

He has also demanded appropriate financial compensation for the loss of his reputation.

Gehlot had said after a budget review meeting at the secretariat on February 21 that the entire family, including Shekhawat’s parents and wife, were involved in the Sanjeevani scam.

Gehloit had welcomed the filing of the defamation case by Gajendra Singh. “At least on this pretext the case will move forward,” he had said.

Earlier, a war of words between Gehlot and Shekhawat had intensified over the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam with the Rajasthan Chief Minister openly declaring the Union Minister “a culprit like the others”.

“The Union Minister is trying to mislead the public in the case of the Sanjivani Cooperative Society Ltd scam. In the investigation of the Special Operation Group (SOG), the crime has been proved against him under the same sections as the other arrested accused.”

Shekhawat had said that Gehlot terming him as an ‘accused’ in the Sanjivani scam is akin to his “political assassination to settle scores”.

“The SOG presented three charge sheets but there is neither mine nor my family’s name anywhere. Still, the Chief Minister called me an accused,” he had said.