Defamation case: Order reserved on CM Atishi’s plea against summons

The case traces back to a press conference by Atishi on April 2, 2024, where she alleged that the BJP approached her to join their party under threat of arrest by the ED.
Delhi CM Atishi
Delhi CM Atishi(File photo)
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NEW DELHI: A city court on Saturday reserved its order on Chief Minister Atishi’s appeal against summons issued to her in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor. The decision, expected on January 28, comes after extensive arguments by both sides.

Special Judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue Court, presiding over the case, heard rebuttal arguments from senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, representing Atishi. Gupta argued that political defamation cases required a higher threshold since political parties are inherently subjects of public discourse.

The case traces back to a press conference by Atishi on April 2, 2024, where she alleged that the BJP approached her to join their party under threat of arrest by the ED. This prompted Kapoor, a BJP spokesperson, to file a defamation complaint, claiming her statements were false, malicious, and intended to harm BJP’s reputation.

Kapoor’s legal team, led by senior advocate Ajay Burman, contended that the defamation was not only directed at the BJP but also personally defamatory to Kapoor due to his long-standing association and representation of the party.

Gupta countered that the alleged defamatory remark was against the BJP as a collective, not Kapoor personally. He suggested that the defamation complaint should have been filed by the party itself if it felt aggrieved.

The court had previously stayed the proceedings in November 2024, after Atishi moved the sessions court against the summons issued on May 28.

Atishi sticks to allegations

The notice accused Atishi of making baseless claims without specific evidence or details about the BJP. Atishi, however, stood firm on her allegations, asserting that the BJP is using central agencies to intimidate opposition leaders. She dismissed the threats as attempts to derail her political career.

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