Delhi HC issues notice to CM Atishi on BJP leader’s plea in defamation case

Chief Minister Atishi
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to Chief Minister Atishi on a BJP leader’s plea in a defamation case against her over Ms. Atishi’s allegations that the BJP had “tried to poach” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators in return for cash.

BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor moved the High Court on January 30 against a city court’s dismissal of his defamation case. In his plea, Mr. Kapoor said the trial court went “beyond” the scope of its legal power by rejecting the defamation complaint and quashing the summons issued by a magisterial court.

Mr. Kapoor has in his plea stated that Ms. Atishi “levelled baseless allegations at a press conference on January 27, and later on April 2, 2024, against the BJP by saying that it was approaching AAP’s MLAs and offering them bribes to the tune of ₹20-25 crore for switching sides”.

On January 28, the city court held that the allegations made by Ms. Atishi constituted the exercise of the right to freedom of speech concerning political corruption and not defamation.