Kejriwal should pay Jethmalani's legal fees in his private capacity: BJP

New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reiterated its advice to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to stop misusing public funds and public position for his personal matters, and called on his to fight his legal cases in his private capacity.

"Arvind Kejriwal has been caught for stealing public money for his personal gain. This is a clear case of misuse of public funds and of public position," Shazia told ANI. She also cleared that the case was not a fight between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Government of Delhi, but between Jaitley and Kejriwal.

Taking another dig at Kejriwal over his fee debacle with his lawyer Ram Jethmalani who has offered to take the case pro bono if the former cannot afford him, the BJP leader highlighted that the Chief Minister should have managed to procure the amount in his personal capacity and not use the exchequer's money.

Veteran lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who is Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's counsel in the defamation case filed against him by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on Tuesday said that he would work for free if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo cannot pay him his fees.

Jethmalani, who is defending Kejriwal in both a criminal and a civil defamation case filed by Jaitley, has reportedly sent bills for Rs. 1 crore in retainership and Rs. 22 lakh for each appearance in court to the Delhi Chief Minister.

Jethmalani has made 11 appearances so far, leading to a total of Rs 3.42 crore.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has signed off on the bills and sent them for clearance to the Lieutenant Governor, who has sought the opinion of experts on how to proceed.

Baijal's move comes after the Delhi Government's Law Department, responding to a note by Sisodia, said that Lieutenant Governor's permission for clearing the bills was necessary.