In another setback to AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday filed another Rs.10 cr defamation case over an objectionable word used in court by Kejriwal's counsel Ram Jethmalani last week.

Jaitley filed the case against Kejriwal in Delhi High Court over the word 'crook' used by Jethlamalani last week.

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"We have filed a fresh suit for defamation against Arvind Kejriwal seeking Rs.10 crore in damages for ex-facie defamation as his lawyer Ram Jethmalani, in the open court, called Jaitley a crook." Jaitley's lawyer Manik Dogra was quoted as saying by a news agency.

Acording to reports, on 17 May, heated exchanges took place when Jaitley, who was being cross-examined, furiously asked Jethmalani whether the word 'crook' used by him was in his personal capacity or as per the instruction of Kejriwal.

Senior counsels Rajiv Nayyar and Sandeep Sethi, representing Jaitley, objected to Jethmalani referring to the minister as being 'guilty of crime and crookery'.

In December 2015, Jaitley filed a civil defamation case against Kejriwal and AAP leaders Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Deepak Bajpayee, claiming that they made 'false and defamatory' statements in the case involving DDCA, thereby harming his reputation.

(With inputs from agencies)