Delhi HC seeks The Caravan's reply in defamation case filed by Nitin Gadkari's son

The plea said Nikhil Gadkari was being "targeted" by the defendants because he was the son of a former BJP national president and a senior Union minister.

The Delhi High Court has sought the stand of The Caravan magazine in a defamation case filed by Nikhil Gadkari, the son of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, over articles linking him and his company to the sale of beef or bovine meat products.

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice to the magazine and its editor-in-chief on Nikhil Gadkari's plea seeking interim relief in the matter, and listed it for hearing on August 31. (File Photo (HT_PRINT))

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice to the magazine and its editor-in-chief on Nikhil Gadkari's plea seeking interim relief in the matter, and listed it for hearing on August 31.

The application, which forms part of a lawsuit by Nikhil Gadkari and his company Cian Agro Industries and Infrastructure Ltd, seeks directions to take down the content and also restrain the magazine from publishing "false, malicious and defamatory allegations".

In the lawsuit, Nikhil Gadkari said his company deals in the manufacture and trade of agro-based commodities, all of which are entirely vegetarian in nature, and they have never held any licence, permit or regulatory authorisation for the slaughter, processing, trade or export of beef, buffalo meat, or any bovine meat products whatsoever.

However, commencing on or around March 3, the defendants have published and disseminated a "series of false, misleading and defamatory articles, posts, videos and digital materials" associating Nikhil Gadkari and his company with the trade, processing or export of beef or bovine meat products.

The plea said Nikhil Gadkari was being "targeted" by the defendants because he was the son of a former national president of the BJP and a senior Union minister.