Row over degree: Court says plea against Smriti Irani maintainable
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New Delhi: A court here on Wednesday took cognizance of a complaint against Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani for allegedly misrepresenting facts in her election affidavits.
Metropolitan Magistrate Akash Jain considered the private complaint against Irani and fixed August 28 for recording pre-summoning evidence in the case.
The court on June 1 reserved its order on consideration of the complaint filed by Ahmer Khan.
Khan in his complaint in April sought action against the minister for allegedly lying on oath about her educational qualification.
Khan's lawyer K.K. Manan told the court that Irani declared herself to be a 1996 batch B.A. graduate from Delhi University in her affidavit filed for the 2004 Lok Sabha election. But in her 2014 Lok Sabha election affidavit, she stated she had done B.Com Part 1 in 1994 from Delhi University.
"It is evident from the contents of the affidavits filed by Irani that at best, only one of the depositions by her on oath in respect of her educational qualifications is correct," said the petitioner's counsel.
The petition claimed that Irani also lied on oath about her assets and it sought action against her for offences under the Representation of the People Act.
