Kolkata, May 26 (IANS) A court here Thursday exempted Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Gautam Deb from personal appearance in a criminal defamation case filed by Trinamool Congress leader and union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy.

 
 According to Deb's lawyer, the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court granted him exemption from personal appearance.
 
 The CPI-M leader had accused the Trinamool Congress of using black money for the West Bengal assembly elections and alleged that fake receipts were issued to show the money was collected from the public.
 
 The court will hear the case June 28.