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Delhi HC notice to Shashi Tharoor on Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s defamation petition
Chandrasekhar alleged that Tharoor defamed him by making “false” and “derogatory” statements on national television
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s petition challenging the dismissal of his defamation complaint against the Congress parliamentarian.
Chandrasekhar alleged that Tharoor defamed him by making “false” and “derogatory” statements on national television, had allegedly tarnished his image by accusing him of bribing voters in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Tharoor had defeated Chandrashekhar with a margin of over 16,000 votes.
A bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja sought Tharoor’s response, while observing that the matter required consideration. The next hearing in the case will take place on September 15.
“Matter requires consideration. Issue notice to the respondent returnable on 15 September,” the court said in the order.
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The BJP leader had approached the high court against the city court’s February 4 order.
Additional chief judicial magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal had dismissed the defamation complaint stating that prima facie, no ingredients of defamation were made out. Hence the court refused to summon Tharoor in the matter, remarking that the Congress MP did not make any imputations against Chandrashekhar.
In his petition before the high court argued by senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani along with advocate Amrita Panda, Chandrashekhar said that the city court’s order was erroneous since it was passed without considering the material evidence. The senior lawyer further argued that Tharoor through a series of interviews attempted to steal a march in the election and the city court failed to notice Tharoor’s attempt to defame his client by making false allegations, just before the polls, with an intent to harm his credibility.
To be sure, the Delhi high court in March had issued summons to the Congress parliamentarian in a defamation suit filed by Chandrasekhar. The suit had arisen from the same remarks made by Tharoor in a television interview.
