Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Saturday put on trial by a city court for alleged offence of defamation in a criminal complaint filed against him by BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri. Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh passed the order after which the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who was present before the court, pleaded not guilty and stated that he will contest the case. The court framed the notice under section 499 and 500 of Indian Penal Code, which deal with the offence of defamation.

In his complaint, Bidhuri had alleged that Kejriwal had defamed him in an interview to a news channel. During the proceedings, the court also granted Kejriwal permanent exemption from personal appearance in the case. The court, however, said the AAP politician may be asked to appear personally in the case, if the need arose. The court has now fixed December 23 as the next date of hearing in the case.