NEW DELHI: A city court on Thursday issued notices to Chief Minister Atishi and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in response to a defamation complaint filed by former Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit, who is pitted against former CM Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal of Rouse Avenue Court set January 27 as the date for the accused to present their case. The notices offer Atishi and Singh a chance to be heard before the court considers the complaint.
Dikshit’s complaint, filed through advocate Sarim Naved, has accused Aitishi and Sanjay Singh of making defamatory remarks during a press conference on December 26, 2024. The complaint has alleged that Atishi and Singh accused Dikshit and the Indian National Congress (INC) of accepting money from the BJP and colluding with them to undermine the AAP’s electoral prospects.
The complaint notes that Atishi shared the live press conference proceedings on her ‘X’ account with the caption, “BJP is helping Congress in the Delhi election.” This post reportedly garnered over 30,000 views.
The complaint underscores that despite a legal notice sent on January 2, 2025, the alleged defamatory post remains accessible online. It argues that the statements made by Atishi and Singh were intended to damage Dikshit’s reputation, thus constituting defamation under Section 356 of the BNS, 2023.