Arun Jaitley's Second Defamation Case For 10 Crore Against Arvind Kejriwal

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has filed a second defamation case against Arvind Kejriwal for Rs. 10 crore after being called a "crook" in court by his lawyer Ram Jethmalani.

Mr Jethmalani, 93, used the word last week while questioning the minister in court.

The new case will be separate from the ongoing defamation suit against Mr Kejriwal and five other Aam Aadmi Party leaders. It is likely to be heard on Tuesday in the Delhi High Court.

The High Court had last week called the comments "scandalous".

Last Wednesday, as Mr Jethmalani called him "a crook", the Finance Minister asked if the slur had been "authorised" for use by the Chief Minister. When Mr Jethmalani said it had, Mr Jaitley said he would seek "aggravated damages".

"He (Arun Jaitley) is a crook and I will show this," Mr Jethmalani had said. To Mr Jaitley's objection, he added, "Let the court note that I am doing this with my client's consent."

Mr Kejriwal has been named along with top leaders from his Aam Aadmi Party or AAP in separate criminal and civil cases. His choice of Mr Jethamalani as his main lawyer has been controversial in part because the government attempted to pay the 93-year-old's fee of nearly four crores.

After vast criticism, Mr Jethmalani said he would represent the Chief Minister without any charges.

Mr Jaitley has said that Mr Kejriwal has made baseless allegations against him publicly; accusing him of corruption during his 13-year-term as head of the DDCA, the powerful cricket body that governs Delhi and its surrounding areas.