An FIR of defamation was filed on Sunday over a Delhi Police constable’s complaint against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after he used the word “thulla” to describe cops in an interview to a television news channel.





On Sunday morning, constable Ajay Kumar Taneja filed a written complaint against Kejriwal with the Lajpat Nagar police station in south east Delhi, saying derogatory language was used against policemen.



“Thulla” is a derogatory slang commonly used in and around the national capital region to refer to policemen.



“A case under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code was registered with the Lajpat Nagar police station on the basis of the complaint filed by constable Taneja,” said a police officer. Taneja, who is also posted with the Lajpat Nagar police station, told Deccan Herald he decided to file the complaint after watching Kejriwal’s interview on news channel “Aaj Tak” on July 17.



Kejriwal, during the interview with India Today Group Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai, had responded to questions on his controversial TV ad campaign to his face-off with the Narendra Modi government over the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) controversy.



Responding to a question on the ACB, Kejriwal had said: “A case can be lodged by the ACB against anyone for being involved in corrupt practices. But these people say you can't lodge a case against members of the Delhi Police. It is not acceptable if a 'thulla' of the Delhi Police asks a roadside vendor for money, and a case is not registered against him.”



On Friday, Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi had reacted strongly to Kerjiwal’s remark.



“I believe all institutions and instrumentalities of the state must have respect for each other. Nation-building can be done only when we have mutual respect. I refuse to believe that the honourable chief minister has said any word of this sort,” Bassi had said.



