New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday (February 3) summoned Congress Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor in a criminal defamation plea filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajeev Chandrashekhar.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed the plaint to be registered as a suit and posted the matter for April 28.
“Let the plaint be registered as a suit. Issue summons to the defendant (Tharoor). List before the joint registrar on April 28,” the High Court said.
What has Chandrashekhar alleged?
Chandrashekhar has alleged that Tharoor defamed him by making false and derogatory statements during the general elections at various public fora by stating that he was bribing voters in the Thiruvananthapuram parliamentary constituency.
Chandrashekhar has further alleged that the Congress MP made those statements against him knowing fully well that those statements were false and were made with the intent to damage his reputation affect the result of the last Lok Sabha elections.
Chandrashekhar has filed defamation case over Tharoor’s purported statements made during an interview
Chandrashekhar has filed the defamation case over Tharoor’s purported statements made during an interview to a television channel where Tharoor allegedly said Chandrasekhar offered money to voters during 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“It is stated that the publications disparage and denigrates the reputation and lowers the esteem of the plaintiff (Rajeev Chandrasekhar) in estimation of general public. This is a clear case of a malafide approach by the Defendant (Shashi Tharoor) which has made an irreversible impact on the reputation and goodwill of the plaintiff and put a mark on the political career of the plaintiff,” the BJP leader has submitted.
What has Chandrashekhar sought?
Chandrashekhar has sought to restrain Congress MP from making any defamatory statements against him, a public apology and Rs 10 crore in damages from him for allegedly defaming and tarnishing his reputation.
Chandrashekhar had also moved a Delhi court, which had on September 21 last year took cognisance of the Chandrashekhar’s complaint against Tharoor.
