In a recent courtroom development, doubts concerning jurisdiction have surfaced in the defamation lawsuit filed by AAP leader Satyendra Jain against BJP’s Karnail Singh. The case, currently under the scrutiny of a special court designated for lawmakers, was called into question by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Paras Dalal, who pointed out the peculiar circumstance where the defendant, Karnail Singh, does not hold or has not held the status of a MP or MLA.
During the proceedings on Thursday, the court expressed the need for clarification, stating, “Clarification is sought by this court if the present case can be tried before this court since only the complainant is a sitting member of legislative assembly and the proposed accused is neither a sitting or an ex-MP or MLA.” This uncertainty has led to the postponement of the hearing to February 19, allowing time for Jain’s counsel to provide relevant case law addressing the query.
The defamation suit stems from allegations made by Singh during a television interview on January 19, where he accused Jain of significant financial irregularities. In the interview broadcasted, Singh claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had seized 37 kilograms of gold from Jain’s residence and that the AAP leader owned 1,100 acres of land. He further alleged that Jain’s wealth was accumulated through corrupt practices and money laundering.
