Delhi HC adjourns Manoj Tiwari’s plea against summons in Sisodia’s defamation case to Dec 7

The Delhi High Court on Thursday adjourned to December 7 the plea filed by BJP MP Manoj Tiwari challenging a trial court order issuing summons against him in a defamation case filed by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

A single-judge bench of Justice Anu Malhotra asked the counsel appearing for Tiwari to file legible copies of documents relating to his petition and submit physical copies of judgements, which he is relying on to support his plea.

Tiwari’s counsel and senior advocate Pinki Anand urged the High Court to quash the order passed by Rouse Avenue Court on November 28, 2019, issuing summons against her client.

The trial court had also issued summons to BJP MPs Hans Raj Hans and Pravesh Verma and MLAs Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Vijender Gupta in the matter. Gupta has also challenged the trial court order in the Delhi High Court.

The High Court also listed Gupta’s plea for further hearing on December 7.

Sisodia had filed a defamation case against BJP MPs Manoj Tiwari, Hans Raj Hans, Pravesh Verma, MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa, MLA Vijender Gupta and BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana for making false allegations regarding the former’s involvement in corruption of Rs 2,000 crore in the building of classrooms of Delhi government schools. All accused are out on bail in this matter.

Sisodia, in the defamation case, had said that all the allegations made by these BJP leaders were false, defamatory, derogatory and with an intention to harm and damage the reputation and goodwill of the Delhi Deputy Chief Minister.