Court issues notice on CM Atishi’s plea challenging summoning in defamation case

New Delhi [India], September 30 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena challenged the summoning order in a defamation case. Following this, Special Court Judge Vishal Gogne on Monday issued a notice to complainant BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor in relation to a defamation complaint against her.

The special judge has listed the matter on October 7 for the hearing. The same matter has also been listed for October 7 before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM).

Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, along with advocate Shailendra Singh and advocate Mudit Jain, appeared for Atishi in this case.

Following BJP leader Kapoor’s defamation complaint, the Magistrate at Rouse Avenue Court issued the summons to Atishi Marlena on May 28 this year.

The Rouse Avenue court on July 23 granted bail to Atishi after she appeared physically and furnished the bail bond.

Before filing the complaint, the Delhi BJP leader sent a legal notice to AAP leader Atishi over her claims the BJP approached her through a “very close” person to join the party.

A notice was sent by Kapoor stating that on April 2, 2024, Atishi held a press conference and claimed that she was approached by the BJP to join the party.

A notice was sent through Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain on behalf of Kapoor stating that Atishi deliberately and with malicious intent made statements that are not only “false, scandalous, concocted and illusionary” but also defamatory to harm the reputation of the BJP but also its members.

“In the entire speech, she neither revealed specific information about the source of information nor you have given any details about the act of the BJP. Devoid of any specificities, your statement is an intentional endeavour to reflect your own imagination and apprehension,” the legal notice stated.

The notice requested Atishi to immediately withdraw the said speech and telecast your apology prominently on your television and social media.

AAP Leader and Delhi CM had alleged that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party to join them or else she’d be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the coming days.

While addressing a press conference, the AAP leader said, “The BJP, through one of my close aides, approached me to join their party to save my political career, and if I do not join the BJP, then in the coming month, I will be arrested by the ED.”

The AAP leader accused the BJP-led Centre of trying to threaten the party by using probe agencies.

“I want to tell the BJP that we will not be scared of you. We are the soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal. We are aides of Bhagat Singh. We will continue to save the Constitution and will work to give the people a better life under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal,” she said.

She further alleged that in the coming two months before the general elections, a few more leaders, including Raghav Chadha and Saurabh Bharadwaj, would be arrested by the central probing agencies.