Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass granted relief to Kejriwal and AAP leaders Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpai, after they appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued on March 9 and moved bail pleas before the court.
The court granted them bail on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 each with one surety of like amount.
The Chief Minister, other accused AAP leaders and Jaitley came to the court just before 1430 hours amid heavy police presence to prevent any clash between supporters of the rival parties who had gathered in large numbers outside gate number 2 of the Patiala House Court complex here.
Before commencement of the hearing, BJP and AAP workers raised vociferous slogans against each other. Entry inside the court room was restricted and only the accused, those giving sureties, Jaitley and lawyers appearing in the matter along with six journalists were allowed entry.
“All accused persons have been summoned for offence under Section 500 (defamation), read with Section 34 (common intention) IPC. Offence being bailable, all accused persons are admitted to bail on their furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs 25,000 each with one surety in the like amount.
“Counsel for accused persons submits that the bail bonds furnished by them has been filed up for an amount of Rs 20,000 and prays for accepting the same. Heard. Considered. In the larger interest of justice, the bail bonds furnished by all accused persons are accepted,” the court said.
During the hearing which commenced at around 1435 hours, advocates R K Wadhwa and C L Gupta, who appeared for Kejriwal, told the court that they have not been supplied with copy of entire set of documents.
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra and advocate Manoj Taneja, who appeared for Jaitley who was also present, said that copy of the complaint along with the annexures have been sent along with the summons to the accused persons and an endorsement to this effect has been made on the summons sent to the accused.