A court here today fixed May 15 for commencement of arguments on framing of charges on a criminal defamation complaint filed by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit against BJP leader Vijender Gupta.
Metropolitan Magistrate Namrita Aggarwal said she will hear the arguments on framing of charges by both the parties on May 15 and also allowed Dikshit's plea seeking exemption from personal appearance for today.
The magistrate allowed Dikshit's plea after her lawyer Mehmood Pracha said that she could not appear in the court as she underwent a surgery recently and was not feeling well.
Pracha also submitted Dikshit's medical records in pursuance to the court's April 5 order in which the magistrate had asked him to place on record the medical records relating to her treatment.
During the hearing today, Gupta's counsel Ajay Burman argued that as per law if the complainant, in a summons-trial case, does not appear in the case on several dates, then the court can dismiss the complaint unless their is a valid or plausible reason for non-appearance.
He also submitted that while the CM is not coming to the court, she is attending press conferences.
Burman said that law requires her to be present before the court, but she has not come since recording of her statement despite its orders.
He referred to the court's October 12, 2012 order saying that on that date, the court had asked Dikshit to be present before it and had also said the complaint would be dismissed if she fails to appear before it.
"Compliance of an order is a must," Burman said.
Dikshit had filed the criminal defamation case against Gupta alleging that the BJP leader used "uncivilised" language against her in the run up to MCD polls last year.
