New Delhi, May 3: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that his statements against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were based on information from top party leaders and sought more time in the matter.

Vishwas told Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw that before rendering an apology or making any other statement to Jaitley on the issue, he wishes to know whether his party leaders lied or not while issuing statements against the Minister, who is a senior BJP leader.

The court allowed his plea for more time to decide what statement he will make so that the suit can be disposed and listed the matter for May 28.

On April 3, the High Court accepted a joint application by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh, Deepak Bajpai, Raghav Chadha and Jaitley to seek court permission to withdraw the civil defamation case filed by the latter.

Kejriwal and other AAP leaders apologised to Jaitley and his family for accusing the Minister of corruption during his 13-year stint at the Delhi and District Cricket Association.

However, Jaitley continued with his suit proceedings against sixth accused, Kumar Vishwas, as he had not tendered any apology.

 

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Lahore (PTI): Pakistan's Punjab Police on Friday registered a case against unidentified gunmen for opening fire on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder Amir Hamza, who suffered bullet injuries in the attack in Lahore.

On Thursday, two unidentified gunmen riding on a bike opened fire on the vehicle of the private TV channel 24NewsHD TV, owned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, on Peco Road in Lahore near the TV channel's office.

In the attack, Hamza suffered bullet injuries.

"The FIR has been registered against unidentified gunmen, but it is sealed forthwith," a senior police officer told PTI.

He said the intelligence agencies have taken over this case from the police, and they are currently investigating the matter.

The channel's religious programme host Justice (retd.) Nazir Ahmed Ghazi and Hamza were in the vehicle when it was attacked. Hamza was shifted to a hospital for treatment.

Punjab police on Friday said that "upon receiving information about the incident, the SSP Operations immediately reached the scene and a high alert was imposed in the area. SSP Operations Tauqeer Naeem also met the affected individuals. Thankfully, all present in the vehicle remained safe during the firing."

It further said senior police officers of the Township and Chung, along with a heavy police contingent, were present at the scene.

"Police collected evidence from the site and initiated an investigation. Efforts to arrest the suspects are underway using CCTV footage and geo-fencing techniques. Search and sweep operations are being conducted at various locations, with scrutiny of suspicious individuals ongoing," police said.

It added that those involved in the incident will be traced and arrested soon.

The police sources said that Hamza has been shifted to his residence in Jauhar Town, Lahore, where police and agency personnel met him.

The leadership of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), a political front of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's banned Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD), including Hafiz Saeed's son Hafiz Talha Saeed, also called on him.

TV host retired Justice Ghazi, who remained unhurt in the attack, remained a legal counsel for Hafiz Saeed, they said.

The PMML has strongly condemned the attack on Hamza and demanded that those involved in the incident be arrested immediately.

Hamza is regarded as LeT's second most important leader after its chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2019 after getting convicted for several years in terror financing cases. 

Hamza has been designated as a terrorist by the US. In the past, he served as the head of LeT's "special campaigns" department.

In 2018, Hamza formed a fundraising group for the LeT following a ban on the JuD and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation by the Pakistani government.