In a key development in the defamation case linked to remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s education, the Gujarat High Court on January 13, 2026 Tuesday dismissed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s plea seeking a separate trial from party colleague Sanjay Singh. The court said the two leaders would face the case together.
Background of the Case
The criminal defamation complaint was filed by Gujarat University after statements made by Kejriwal and Singh at two press conferences in April 2023. The remarks followed a Gujarat High Court order that set aside a 2016 direction asking the university to disclose information related to PM Modi’s degrees.
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After summons were issued by a magistrate court in Ahmedabad, both leaders challenged the proceedings. In February 2024, the High Court refused to interfere with the summons. Later, Kejriwal moved an application seeking a separate trial, arguing that the incidents, dates, and even social media uploads were different and should not be clubbed together.
Before the courts, Kejriwal said a joint trial would be unfair because the statements were made on different days, through different platforms, and by different individuals. His lawyers stressed that evidence against one accused should not automatically apply to the other.
Court’s Observation
Justice M.R. Mengdey rejected this view while dismissing Kejriwal’s petition. Pronouncing the order, the court said, “The application is dismissed.”
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The High Court agreed with the Sessions Court’s earlier reasoning that the actions of both leaders formed part of the same chain of events. Referring to Section 223 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court noted that people accused of the same offence in the course of the same transaction can be tried together.
As the Sessions Court had earlier observed, the two press conferences were closely linked in time and purpose, and both leaders were acting as office-bearers of the same political party. The court said this showed “a continuity in their action” and a shared objective, making a joint trial legally sound.
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Decision
With Tuesday’s order, the Gujarat High Court has cleared the way for Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh to continue facing the criminal defamation case together in the lower court, rejecting the plea for separate proceedings.
Case Title: Arvind Kejriwal v/s State of Gujarat & Anr.
Case No.: R/SCR.A/17143/2025
Decision Date: January 13, 2026
