NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Wednesday granted additional time for Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena’s legal team to file a rejoinder in response to BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor’s reply in an ongoing defamation case.
The suit was filed by Kapoor following Atishi’s statements alleging that the BJP approached her with an invitation to join the party, which she claimed included veiled threats of Enforcement Directorate action.
The hearing, presided over by Special Judge Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court, allowed Senior Advocate Ramesh Gupta, representing Atishi, to prepare a rejoinder. The next hearing has been scheduled for November 22.
Advocate Gupta attended the hearing via video conferencing to present initial submissions on behalf of the Delhi CM. In his response, Kapoor, represented by Advocate Shoumendu Mukherjee, contended that Atishi’s appeal against the defamation summons lacks merit and should be dismissed.
As per Kapoor, who serves as the Delhi BJP’s media head and spokesperson, Atishi’s statements during a press conference on April 2, 2024, were damaging to his reputation due to his long-standing role within the party.
The suit stems from Atishi’s public assertion that she had been approached by the BJP, through a “close aide,” with an offer to join the party. She alleged that failure to comply would lead to her arrest by central probe agencies, including the ED as a means of pressuring AAP leadership. Atishi claimed other AAP leaders like Raghav Chadha and Saurabh Bharadwaj could face similar tactics from central agencies ahead of the general elections.