News Analysis India

Tag: defamation case

  • 2018 defamation case: Hearing postponed to March 13 as Rahul cites busy schedule

    Sultanpur (UP), A court hearing scheduled on Saturday in the 2018 defamation case against Rahul Gandhi over his alleged objectionable remarks targeting Home Minister Amit Shah was postponed to March 13 after the Congress leader’s counsel sought more time saying he was busy with the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Gandhi had appeared in the special MP-MLA court on February 20 and was granted bail. The court had then fixed March 2 for the next hearing.

    But on Saturday his lawyer Kashi Prasad Shukla sought more time from the court.

    “I have got information that Rahul Gandhi is busy in Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Hence, I submitted an application in the court, on which the court has fixed the next hearing for March 13,” Shukla said. Asked if Gandhi will appear in the court on March 13, the advocate said, “I cannot tell right now whether Rahul Gandhi will appear in the court on the next hearing or not, but I will definitely say that Rahul Gandhi respects the court. If the circumstances are right then undoubtedly he will come and record his statement.”

    Santosh Pandey, the advocate of complainant BJP leader Vijay Mishra, said Gandhi’s advocate was asking for one month’s time. “But I opposed”.

    The complaint was filed here against Rahul Gandhi for his alleged indecent remarks against Amit Shah during the Karnataka elections six years ago. Mishra had filed the case on August 4, 2018 over Gandhi’s alleged objectionable comments against Shah made at a press conference in Bengaluru in May that year during the Karnataka elections. The complainant referred to Gandhi’s comment that the BJP claims to believe in honest and clean politics but has a party president who is an “accused” in a murder case. Shah was BJP president when Gandhi made the remark.

    About four years before Gandhi’s remark, a special CBI court in Mumbai discharged Shah in a 2005 fake encounter case when he was a minister of state for home in Gujarat.

    “The BJP is the biggest party of the country. Calling its (then) president a murderer is unjustifiable,” Mishra told reporters on Tuesday. He said Gandhi had skipped several summonses.

    A hearing was conducted on January 18, when Rahul Gandhi’s lawyer appeared in the case for the first time.

    Vijay Mishra is a BJP leader and hails from Hanumanganj of Kotwali Dehat police station in Sultanpur.

    Advocate Santosh Pandey had filed a complaint on behalf of Mishra and the court issued a warrant on December 16, 2023.

  • Congress to move SC after HC’s refusal to stay Rahul’s conviction in defamation case

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday said it will move the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court order refusing to stay Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case.

    In Kozhikode, AICC general secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said the party would move an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court order.

    “There is one more option before us…the Supreme Court. Let’s see. The Congress party will seek that option too,” Venugopal said while addressing a party programme.

    The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark.

    ALSO READ: Gujarat High Court rejects Rahul Gandhi’s request to stay his conviction in defamation case

    “We will study the Gujarat HC verdict on Sh.@RahulGandhi ji’s conviction and explore all available legal options. Rahul ji is a fierce voice that takes the Modi government head-on. No force can silence him, the truth will triumph and justice will ultimately prevail. Every patriotic Indian is in support of Rahul ji in this fight,” he said on Twitter.

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the reasoning of the judge is being studied and the matter will be taken up further.

    “We have noted the verdict of the single-judge bench of the Gujarat High Court on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. The reasoning of the Hon’ble judge is being studied, as it should be, and Dr Abhishek Singhvi will be briefing the media in detail at 3 pm. The judgement only redoubles our resolve to pursue the matter further,” Ramesh said on Twitter.

    Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala termed it a “Travesty of justice”.

    “Instead of punishing ‘Bank Fraudsters’ like Nirav Modi, Ami Modi, Neeshal Modi, Mehul Choksi and ilk, the ‘messenger’ exposing the deceit and swindling of public money is being punished,” Surjewala said in a tweet.

    He said Rahul Gandhi has chosen the path of truth, of righteousness, of fearlessness and of seeking accountability from those in citadels of power.

    “We will tread upon the path of truth and righteousness, come what may…Satyamev Jayate !” the Congress leader said.

    While dismissing the plea, Justice Hemant Prachchhak noted that Gandhi is already facing 10 cases across India, adding the order of the lower court was “just, proper and legal” in convicting the Congress leader.

    The court noted that there is no reasonable ground to stay the conviction.

    A metropolitan magistrate’s court in Surat on March 23 had sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by BJP Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi.

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday said it will move the Supreme Court against the Gujarat High Court order refusing to stay Rahul Gandhi’s conviction in a defamation case.

    In Kozhikode, AICC general secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal said the party would move an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court order.

    “There is one more option before us…the Supreme Court. Let’s see. The Congress party will seek that option too,” Venugopal said while addressing a party programme.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Gujarat High Court on Friday dismissed Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case over his “Modi surname” remark.

    ALSO READ: Gujarat High Court rejects Rahul Gandhi’s request to stay his conviction in defamation case

    “We will study the Gujarat HC verdict on Sh.@RahulGandhi ji’s conviction and explore all available legal options. Rahul ji is a fierce voice that takes the Modi government head-on. No force can silence him, the truth will triumph and justice will ultimately prevail. Every patriotic Indian is in support of Rahul ji in this fight,” he said on Twitter.

    Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the reasoning of the judge is being studied and the matter will be taken up further.

    “We have noted the verdict of the single-judge bench of the Gujarat High Court on the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi. The reasoning of the Hon’ble judge is being studied, as it should be, and Dr Abhishek Singhvi will be briefing the media in detail at 3 pm. The judgement only redoubles our resolve to pursue the matter further,” Ramesh said on Twitter.

    Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala termed it a “Travesty of justice”.

    “Instead of punishing ‘Bank Fraudsters’ like Nirav Modi, Ami Modi, Neeshal Modi, Mehul Choksi and ilk, the ‘messenger’ exposing the deceit and swindling of public money is being punished,” Surjewala said in a tweet.

    He said Rahul Gandhi has chosen the path of truth, of righteousness, of fearlessness and of seeking accountability from those in citadels of power.

    “We will tread upon the path of truth and righteousness, come what may…Satyamev Jayate !” the Congress leader said.

    While dismissing the plea, Justice Hemant Prachchhak noted that Gandhi is already facing 10 cases across India, adding the order of the lower court was “just, proper and legal” in convicting the Congress leader.

    The court noted that there is no reasonable ground to stay the conviction.

    A metropolitan magistrate’s court in Surat on March 23 had sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail after convicting him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 499 and 500 (criminal defamation) in a 2019 case filed by BJP Gujarat MLA Purnesh Modi.

  • ‘Modi surname’ case: Rahul reacts to guilty verdict, quotes Gandhiji in tweet

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet about truth and non-violence after a court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced him to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case connected to his “Modi surname” remarks.

    “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, and non-violence is the means to get it. — Mahatma Gandhi,” the Congress leader wrote in a tweet in Hindi soon after the court verdict.

    मेरा धर्म सत्य और अहिंसा पर आधारित है। सत्य मेरा भगवान है, अहिंसा उसे पाने का साधन।- महात्मा गांधी
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 23, 2023
    The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case over his ‘Modi surname” remark during an election rally in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

    The court granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer Babu Mangukiya said.

    The court sentenced Gandhi under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code dealing with criminal defamation, Mangukiya said. Gandhi was present in the court when it pronounced its verdict.

    The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks based on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.

    The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019, during Lok Sabha poll campaigning.

    AHMEDABAD: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi in a tweet about truth and non-violence after a court in Surat in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced him to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case connected to his “Modi surname” remarks.

    “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, and non-violence is the means to get it. — Mahatma Gandhi,” the Congress leader wrote in a tweet in Hindi soon after the court verdict.

    मेरा धर्म सत्य और अहिंसा पर आधारित है। सत्य मेरा भगवान है, अहिंसा उसे पाने का साधन।
    – महात्मा गांधीgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 23, 2023
    The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in a criminal defamation case over his ‘Modi surname” remark during an election rally in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

    The court granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court, the Congress leader’s lawyer Babu Mangukiya said.

    The court sentenced Gandhi under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code dealing with criminal defamation, Mangukiya said. Gandhi was present in the court when it pronounced its verdict.

    The case was filed against Gandhi for his alleged “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” remarks based on a complaint lodged by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi.

    The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka on April 13, 2019, during Lok Sabha poll campaigning.

  • Gauhati HC refuses to quash Assam CM’s criminal defamation case against Sisodia

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court refused to quash a criminal defamation suit filed against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

    The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup had earlier sent a summons to the Aam Aadmi Party leader for a personal appearance but he moved the High Court.

    The High Court’s rejection of his plea reinstated the order of the lower court. He will have to appear before it on November 19. The case pertains to Sisodia’s comments on an alleged PPE kits scam, involving the Assam CM’s family.

    Assam’s Advocate General Devajit Saikia told journalists the lower court had sent a summons to Sisodia for a personal appearance but he moved the High Court challenging the lower court’s order for criminal proceedings against him.

    Justice Kalyan Rai Surana of the High Court rejected Sisodia’s plea for quashing of the proceedings. “The Court is of the considered opinion that the petitioner has not been able to make out any case for quashing of the proceedings of CR Case under sections 499/500 IPC, which is pending for disposal before the Court of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (M) at Guwahati. Thus, this petition fails and the same is dismissed,” the court said in its order.

    Sarma filed the suit on June 30, days after his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit in the court of civil judge, Kamrup (Metro) against Sisodia on the same issue.

    Referring to a media report, Sisodia had accused Sarma of indulging in corruption by awarding contracts for PPE kits and other Covid-related items to his wife and son’s business partners.

    The AAP leader had asked why the firm linked to Sarma’s wife was awarded the contract at Rs 990 per PPE kit when another firm was given only Rs 600 for the same on the same day in 2020. Sarma was then Assam’s health minister.

    Sarma immediately hit back at Sisodia. “Stop sermonising and I will see you soon in Guwahati as you will face criminal defamation,” he stated. Assam’s Chief Minster and his wife have dismissed the charges. They said the PPE kits were “gifted” to the National Health Mission, Assam and no bill was raised.READ | Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma sues Sisodia for criminal defamation

    GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court refused to quash a criminal defamation suit filed against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

    The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup had earlier sent a summons to the Aam Aadmi Party leader for a personal appearance but he moved the High Court.

    The High Court’s rejection of his plea reinstated the order of the lower court. He will have to appear before it on November 19. The case pertains to Sisodia’s comments on an alleged PPE kits scam, involving the Assam CM’s family.

    Assam’s Advocate General Devajit Saikia told journalists the lower court had sent a summons to Sisodia for a personal appearance but he moved the High Court challenging the lower court’s order for criminal proceedings against him.

    Justice Kalyan Rai Surana of the High Court rejected Sisodia’s plea for quashing of the proceedings. “The Court is of the considered opinion that the petitioner has not been able to make out any case for quashing of the proceedings of CR Case under sections 499/500 IPC, which is pending for disposal before the Court of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (M) at Guwahati. Thus, this petition fails and the same is dismissed,” the court said in its order.

    Sarma filed the suit on June 30, days after his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit in the court of civil judge, Kamrup (Metro) against Sisodia on the same issue.

    Referring to a media report, Sisodia had accused Sarma of indulging in corruption by awarding contracts for PPE kits and other Covid-related items to his wife and son’s business partners.

    The AAP leader had asked why the firm linked to Sarma’s wife was awarded the contract at Rs 990 per PPE kit when another firm was given only Rs 600 for the same on the same day in 2020. Sarma was then Assam’s health minister.

    Sarma immediately hit back at Sisodia. “Stop sermonising and I will see you soon in Guwahati as you will face criminal defamation,” he stated. Assam’s Chief Minster and his wife have dismissed the charges. They said the PPE kits were “gifted” to the National Health Mission, Assam and no bill was raised.READ | Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma sues Sisodia for criminal defamation

  • Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial movie to air on streaming platform

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: The controversial defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is the subject of a new movie, ‘Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial’, set to debut exclusively on the free Tubi streaming service.

    The film stars Mark Hapka (Parallels’, ‘Days of Our Lives’) as Depp and Megan Davis (‘Alone in the Dark’) as Heard. It is set to premiere on Friday, September 30, on Fox’s Tubi.

    According to a report by Variety, Melissa Marty will join Hapka and Davis as Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez and Mary Carrig will portray Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft.

    ‘Hot Take’ follows the tumultuous relationship — in and out of court — of Depp and Heard, dramatizing the two-month defamation trial that concluded on June 1, with the jury finding that Heard had defamed Depp by alluding to domestic violence allegations against him in a December 2018 op-ed piece.

    The jury also held Depp liable for a defamatory statement made about Heard by his lawyer

    ‘Hot Take’ comes from Fox Entertainment’s MarVista Entertainment. The film is written by Guy Nicolucci and directed by Sara Lohman.

    The movie was fast-tracked into production by Tubi and MarVista “to capture a timely take on a story that became part of the cultural zeitgeist, painting a unique picture of what millions watched play out in the headlines over the summer,” Adam Lewinson, Tubia’s chief content officer, said in a statement.

    ‘Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial’ is one of many timely, culturally relevant original movies to come from our expanding partnership and slate of movies being produced in collaboration with Tubi,” said Hannah Pillemer, EVP creative of affairs for MarVista.

    “Connecting viewers to stories with this kind of social currency and topicality make watching them a must for any fan of pop culture or celebrity drama.”

    The film is executive produced by Brittany Clemons, Angie Day, Marianne C. Wunch, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew. Autumn Federici and Kristifor Cvijetic serve as producers under their Ninth House banner.

    LOS ANGELES: The controversial defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is the subject of a new movie, ‘Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial’, set to debut exclusively on the free Tubi streaming service.

    The film stars Mark Hapka (Parallels’, ‘Days of Our Lives’) as Depp and Megan Davis (‘Alone in the Dark’) as Heard. It is set to premiere on Friday, September 30, on Fox’s Tubi.

    According to a report by Variety, Melissa Marty will join Hapka and Davis as Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez and Mary Carrig will portray Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft.

    ‘Hot Take’ follows the tumultuous relationship — in and out of court — of Depp and Heard, dramatizing the two-month defamation trial that concluded on June 1, with the jury finding that Heard had defamed Depp by alluding to domestic violence allegations against him in a December 2018 op-ed piece.

    The jury also held Depp liable for a defamatory statement made about Heard by his lawyer

    ‘Hot Take’ comes from Fox Entertainment’s MarVista Entertainment. The film is written by Guy Nicolucci and directed by Sara Lohman.

    The movie was fast-tracked into production by Tubi and MarVista “to capture a timely take on a story that became part of the cultural zeitgeist, painting a unique picture of what millions watched play out in the headlines over the summer,” Adam Lewinson, Tubia’s chief content officer, said in a statement.

    ‘Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial’ is one of many timely, culturally relevant original movies to come from our expanding partnership and slate of movies being produced in collaboration with Tubi,” said Hannah Pillemer, EVP creative of affairs for MarVista.

    “Connecting viewers to stories with this kind of social currency and topicality make watching them a must for any fan of pop culture or celebrity drama.”

    The film is executive produced by Brittany Clemons, Angie Day, Marianne C. Wunch, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew. Autumn Federici and Kristifor Cvijetic serve as producers under their Ninth House banner.

  • Defamation case: Kangana Ranaut to appear before Mumbai court on July 4

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Actor Kangana Ranaut will appear before a metropolitan magistrate court here on July 4 in connection with a defamation complaint filed against her by Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar.

    As the matter came up for hearing before the Andheri metropolitan magistrate’s court on Monday, her lawyer sought an exemption from the actor’s personal appearance for the day.

    The court then directed Ranaut’s legal team to file Pursis (written statement /information given to the court pertaining to any matter pending before it), stating that the accused will remain present on the next date of hearing (July 4).

    The court granted an exemption for the day after the Pursis was filed by Ranaut’s lawyer.

    The court also reserved the hearing on a plea seeking the issuance of a warrant against Ranaut till the next hearing.

    Akhtar (76) had filed the complaint in court in November 2020, claiming that Ranaut had made defamatory statements against him in a television interview, which allegedly damaged his reputation.

    In his complaint, Akhtar claimed that Ranaut dragged his name during the interview while referring to a ‘coterie’ existing in Bollywood, following the alleged suicide by actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June last year.

  • Judge acted judiciously, without bias, says court while rejecting Kangana’s plea in defamation case

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The additional chief metropolitan magistrate court here has held that the Andheri metropolitan magistrate, which is presiding over the defamation case filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar against Kangana Ranaut, has acted “judiciously” and did not show any bias against the actor.

    Just because the court proceeds with the case by following the procedure of law, it does not mean that it is biased against the applicant, additional chief metropolitan magistrate S T Dande said in her order in which she rejected Ranaut’s plea that sought transfer of the case to some other court.

    The additional chief metropolitan magistrate had rejected Ranaut’s petition on October 21, but its detailed order was made available on Saturday.

    The actor had filed the transfer petition last month, saying that she had “lost faith” in the Andheri metropolitan magistrate’s court as it indirectly “threatened” her of issuing a warrant if she failed to appear before it in a bailable offence.

    The petition also alleged that the court was biased against her.

    However, Dande, in her order, ruled that the metropolitan magistrate, 10th court, Andheri, has given a fair opportunity to the accused to remain absent by granting all her exemption applications.

    “I have perused all the orders passed by the Metropolitan Magistrate, Andheri. He has passed the orders judiciously,” she said.

    Moreover, the order passed by the Andheri court was confirmed by the sessions court.

    Further, the high court had dismissed Ranaut’s plea seeking quashing of the criminal defamation proceedings initiated against her by the magistrate, the court said.

    “It shows that Metropolitan Magistrate, Andheri, has acted judiciously and is not biased against the applicant,” the CMM court said.

    “Merely because the court proceeds with the case by following the procedure of law, it does not mean that court is biased against the applicant/accused,” it added.

    It further held that the case cannot be transferred from one court to another on the basis of mere “apprehension”.

    The court said it was of the view that Ranaut has failed to make out a positive, concrete case to show that her apprehension is reasonable.

    “Unless some positive, concrete case is made out showing that there is reasonable apprehension of not getting a fair trial or fair justice from the concerned court, the proceedings cannot be transferred from one court to another on mere vague and general allegations,” it said.

    “If on the basis of false allegation, the matter is transferred, it will affect the morale of the presiding officer,” it added.

    The court ruled that there are no grounds made out for transfer of the case from the metropolitan magistrate’s court, Andheri, to any other court.

    Akhtar (76) had filed the complaint in the Andheri court in November last year, claiming that Ranaut had made defamatory statements against him in a television interview, which allegedly damaged his reputation.

    In his complaint, Akhtar claimed that Ms.

    Ranaut dragged his name during an interview while referring to a ‘coterie’ existing in Bollywood, following the alleged suicide by actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June last year.

    Ranaut has also moved a counter complaint in the Andheri court against Akhtar for alleged “extortion and criminal intimidation” before the metropolitan magistrate court.

  • Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad acquitted in defamation case as Shashi Tharoor withdraws plaint

    By Express News Service
    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has been acquitted in the criminal defamation case filed by Shashi Tharoor, MP, as the latter requested the court to withdraw the case. Tharoor made a request to withdraw the case following an out-of-the-court settlement reached between both leaders. 

    In March last year, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is the Union Minister for Communications, Law and Justice, wrote to Tharoor expressing apology for making certain derogatory remarks against him. The case related to an incident that occurred in October, 2018 when Prasad had alleged that Tharoor was an accused in a murder case. 

    “On receiving subsequent information regarding the conclusion of investigation in the concerned case, I learnt that the said allegation against you is not factually correct. I accordingly, withdraw it unconditionally,” Prasad wrote to Tharoor. The remarks by Prasad against Tharoor were made when the latter had criticised PM Narendra Modi in strong words. In the letter, Prasad said had Tharoor done introspection, he should also have understood his comments against Modi were avoidable.

    “While we differ politically, at times strongly, we both have maintained mutual respect and amity. You could surely appreciate that in a democratic polity, debate, discussion, differences, arguments as well as criticism are of essence. However, while upholding these statutory principles, one should not hurt other’s sentiments and reputation, and I had no intention of doing so in your case”, said Ravisankar Prasad in his letter.

    Acknowledging the apology, Tharoor wrote to Prasad. “It was very gracious of you to withdraw your words in respect of myself, which had offended me greatly. I welcome your sentiments in view of our long association. I am happy to treat the matter as closed,” he said. Subsequently, Tharoor’s lawyer informed the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Thiruvananthapuram, about their decision to withdraw the case and the CJM acquitted Ravi Shankar Prasad in the case.

  • Non-Bailable Warrant issued against Digvijay Singh in defamation case

    By PTI
    HYDERABAD: A local court on Monday issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh for not appearing before it in connection with a defamation case filed against him in 2017.

    A Special Court for Trial of Cases pending against MPs/MLAs issued the NBW against Digvijay Singh after he failed to appear before it in connection with a defamation case filed against him by the AIMIM.

    AIMIM leader S A Hussain Anwar had filed a petition against the Congress leader, alleging that Digvijay Singh through his statement, had defamed AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, saying the Hyderabad MP’s party was contesting elections in other states for the sake of financial benefits.

    Counsel for the petitioner, Mohammed Asif Amjad said they had sent legal notices to both Digvijay Singh and the Editor of a Urdu daily, which carried the article, seeking an apology and subsequently moved the court as they failed to respond.

    During the last date of hearing ,the court had directed that Digvijay Singh and the Editor to be present before it on February 22, The Editor did so, but Singh failed to appear before the court, he said.

    Digvijay Singh’s counsel had filed a petition, seeking exemption from appearance on medical grounds, but the court dismissed it and issued the NBW, Asif Amjad said.

    The court posted the matter to March 8.

    Singh’s counsel said they have already filed a stay extension petition before the High court to quash the proceedings.

  • Amit Shah summoned by special court in defamation case filed by TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: A designated MP/MLA court in West Bengal issued summons to Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday to appear either personally or through a lawyer before it on February 22 in connection with a defamation case lodged against him by Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee.

    The special judge of MP/MLA court at Bidhannagar directed that Shah is “required to appear in person/by pleader” at 10 am on that day.

    The judge directed that Shah’s attendance either personally or through a lawyer is necessary to answer to a charge of defamation under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

    In a press note, Abhishek Banerjee’s lawyer Sanjay Basu claimed that Shah had made certain defamatory statements against the TMC MP on August 11, 2018 at a rally of the BJP at Mayo Road in Kolkata.