The Supreme Court has extended the interim relief of staying the trial proceeding for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a 2014 case registered against Kejriwal for allegedly saying that all those who believe in ‘Khuda’ won’t be pardoned by ‘Khuda’ if they vote for BJP during an election campaign.
The Supreme Court was approached by the Kejriwal challenging the order passed by the Allahabad High Court in January which rejected his plea for discharge.
Bench comprising Justice KM Joseph and Justice BV Nagarathna were apprised by the Counsel appearing for the State of Uttar Pradesh that the State seeks some time to file the counter affidavit.
The Bench stated that the interim order will continue.The matter will be next listed in the third week of July, 2023.
The case dates back to 2014, when an FIR was lodged against Kejriwal under Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct for making a public statement “Jo Congress ko vote dega, mera manana hoga, desh ke saath gaddari hogi…jo Bhajpa ko vote dega use Khuda bhi muaf nahin karega, des ke sath gaddari hogi” [The one who votes for Congress, I would believe, will be betraying the country… The one who votes for BJP, even God will not forgive him, he will be betraying the country.]
While dismissing his discharge plea, the Allahabad High Court said that it appeared that Kejriwal is threatening the voters in the name of Khuda knowing fully well that if he uses the term ‘Khuda’, some set of voters belonging to different religions might have severely been influenced.