New Delhi, (PTI) Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was today directed to appear on March 21 before a Delhi court which granted him exemption from personal appearance for the day in a criminal defamation complaint filed by DDCA and Chetan Chauhan.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra allowed Kejriwal's plea for exemption for the day as he is in Bengaluru for treatment and would return on February 22.

Kejriwal said in its application that his non-appearance was neither deliberate nor intentional.

The court also granted bail to suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad, who along with Kejriwal was summoned as accused in the matter, on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and surety of like amount.

During the hearing, Azad's counsel argued that the complaint was not maintainable as the Delhi High Court has appointed justice Vikramajit Sen as administrator of the cricketing body.

Advocate Sangram Patnaik, who appeared for DDCA and Chauhan, opposed it and argued that the plea was maintainable as at the time of filing of the complaint, Chauhan was the vice president of DDCA and he has also filed the plea in his individual capacity.

The court had on January 30 summoned Kejriwal and Azad, saying their statements prima facie adversely affected the reputation of the cricketing body and its officials.

The complaint has claimed that the defamatory statements were made by Kejriwal and Azad, who himself is a member of DDCA, "to remain in the public eye and gain political mileage".

"In an interview to a news channel, Kejriwal had alleged that apart from financial irregularities, there were other major wrongdoings in DDCA, including a sex racket," the plea has alleged.