NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj four weeks’ time to respond to a revision petition filed by AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain. The petition challenges a Magistrate court’s earlier decision to dismiss Jain’s defamation complaint against Swaraj.
Special Judge Jitendra Singh, presiding over the matter at Rouse Avenue Court, granted the extension after a representative for Swaraj sought additional time to submit a formal reply. The matter is now scheduled for a hearing on May 14 .The court had initially issued notice to Swaraj on March 22 in response to Jain’s revision plea. Jain is contesting the lower court’s refusal to take cognisance of his complaint, which alleged that defamatory remarks were made against him during a televised interview.
Jain’s complaint stems from comments made by Swaraj during a TV interview broadcast on 5 October 2023. He claims that Swaraj made unsubstantiated allegations about a money laundering investigation, specifically referring to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid linked to him.
According to Jain, Swaraj falsely stated that Rs 3 crore in cash, 1.8 kilograms of gold, and 133 gold coins were recovered from his residence. He further contended that Swaraj labelled him “corrupt” and a “fraud” during the same interview, remarks he describes as baseless, damaging, and politically driven.
The former minister, who is currently out on bail in connection with the money laundering case, asserts that the allegations have severely tarnished his personal and public image. He claims the statements have led to irreparable damage not only to his political standing but also to his personal life as a husband, father and citizen.
Jain further argued that the accusations amounted to a calculated smear campaign designed to defame him for political gain. His initial complaint sought legal action against both Bansuri Swaraj and the television channel that aired the interview.
The court had issued a pre-summoning notice on 16 December 2024 to both the BJP MP and the media outlet, instructing them to present preliminary evidence. However, on 20 February 2025, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate declined to take cognisance of Jain’s defamation complaint.