Will defend CM Arvind Kejriwal for free if he can't pay me: Ram Jethmalani

New Delhi: Renowned lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday offered to defend chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the defamation case slapped on him by finance minister Arun Jaitley for “free” if the Aam Aadmi Party chief cannot afford to pay him. Mr Jethmalani also hit out at Mr Jaitley alleging that the row over the Delhi government’s move to clear his bills for fighting the case has been “instigated” by the Union finance minister.

On its part, the AAP alleged that Mr Jaitley was paid large retainership fee for defending a private firm when it was mired in the 2G scam. The party also sought to defend the government’s move to pay Mr Jethmalani from the public exchequer, saying the “penniless” AAP and Mr Kejriwal cannot “afford” expensive lawyers.

Mr Jethmalani said it is the government’s duty to defend the chief minister. “I will certainly defend him even if he can’t pay, but he said ‘no, I want to pay, send us the bills’, so I have sent the bills. Even if the government does not support him, I will.If necessary, I will support him for his livelihood because he is a clean force compared to Arun Jaitley,” Mr Jethmalani said.

Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had directed the general administration department to clear the bills of Mr Jethmalani. It is learnt that lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal has sought solicitor general Ranjit Kumar’s advice in doing so. The bills totalled around Rs 3.42 crore.

“If he is unable to pay I will do it for free. I render free services to 90 per cent of my clients,” Mr Jethmalani said.

Defending Mr Kejriwal, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said that the defamation case Delhi CM is fighting against finance minister Arun Jaitley is a public and not a private issue.

“There were allegations of corruption in DDCA (Delhi and District Cricket Association)” when Mr Jaitley headed it. Our government formed a committee to probe this matter and free cricket of corruption.”

“The defamation case against Mr Kejriwal was filed by those who feared they would be caught in the probe. This is a public matter, and not pertaining to Mr Kejriwal’s private property. It is proper that the government bears the expenses of the case,” Mr Sisodia said.

He also questioned the timing of the matter being raked up. “This case has been going on for one-and-half years. Why is this issue being raised now?” he asked, adding it was a diversionary tactic by the BJP to draw attention away from the issue of faulty electronic voting machines (EVMs)

Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashish Khetan also defended the Delhi government’s decision and said unlike “rich” Mr Jaitley, Mr Kejriwal was “pennyless”.

He said Mr Jaitley filed the case not against Mr Kejriwal the individual, but against the idea he embodies and people he represents. “Dear Narendra Modi Sir, Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP are pennyless. Your Finance Minister is a rich man. He can afford expensive advocates. We can’t,” Mr Khetan said.

He also accused Mr Jaitley of making money defending “big people involved in big scams”.