NEW DELHI: A trial court on Saturday issued bailable warrant against former Aam Aadmi Party member Shazia Ilmi for not appearing in a criminal defamation complaint filed against her by outgoing telecom minister Kapil Sibal's son Amit Sibal.
Besides Ilmi, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Prashant Bhushan, had also been named as accused in the case. Metropolitan magistrate Sunil Kumar Sharma said, "Issue bailable warrant in the sum of Rs 5,000 against Shazia Ilmi."
The court, however, allowed the exemption application of Manish Sisodia on the ground that his father expired on May 22. Earlier, the court had warned of coercive measures against Kejriwal and others after they had failed to appear before it.
Meanwhile, the court asked former Union law minister and senior counsel Shanti Bhushan, appearing for Kejriwal, to file an appropriate exemption application and ensure his presence on August 23, the next date of hearing.
"In all civil matters, the trial proceeds without the presence of the accused," Bhushan said, while seeking exemption on behalf of Kejriwal. The AAP chief was remanded in judicial custody till June 6 and is lodged in Tihar Jail after he refused to submit a bail bond in a defamation case filed against him by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari.
Advocate Mohit Mathur, appearing for Amit Sibal, opposed the pleas of the accused and saying, "This has become a habit. We have travelled three months but we are still at the same stage. If they seek exemption, then at least the due legal process shall continue."
Mathur sought issuance of production warrant for Kejriwal, which the court refused.
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