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This is an archive article published on October 12, 2023

PM Modi degree row: Gujarat HC issues notice in pleas by Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh seeking quashing of summons

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MP Sanjay Singh are facing a criminal defamation case in Ahmedabad related to their alleged remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degrees.

pm modi, arvind kejriwalPrime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (PTI/File Photo)
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PM Modi degree row: Gujarat HC issues notice in pleas by Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh seeking quashing of summons
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The Gujarat High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Gujarat University (GU) through its registrar Piyush Patel in two petitions moved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) colleague, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, in relation to a defamation complaint pertaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degrees.

The two AAP leaders have challenged the summons issued by an Ahmedabad magistrate court in a criminal defamation complaint filed by GU against them. The two are also seeking that an Ahmedabad sessions court order upholding the summons issued by the magistrate court be set aside.

Kejriwal and Singh are facing a criminal defamation case in Ahmedabad and were initially issued a summons by a magistrate court to appear before it on April 15 and again issued a fresh summons on May 23. The two AAP leaders had moved the high court on September 16, challenging the April summons, seeking that they be quashed.

Senior advocate Rebecca John and advocate Aum Kotwal appeared on behalf of the two AAP leaders on Thursday. The notice has been kept returnable by November 3, when the court is due to take up the matter next.

With the magistrate court due to take up the criminal defamation trial on October 14, the court of Justice J C Doshi, however, refused to accede to requests by the petitioners to direct for a stay or adjournment on the trial while the petitions are pending before the high court. A request to direct the magistrate court to consider an adjournment application if moved by the petitioners was also refused by Justice Doshi.

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

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