Delhi court junks defamation case against AAP’s Saurabh Bhardwaj

New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) A Delhi court on Wednesday dismissed a criminal defamation complaint against AAP’s Saurabh Bhardwaj, citing delay in filing the case.

Additional chief judicial magistrate Neha Mittal dismissed the complaint filed by BJP’s Suraj Bhan Chauhan, saying the alleged offence of defamation took place in September 2018, and observed the limitation period for filing the present complaint was three years.

The judge said none of the grounds pleaded by the complainant to seek condonation of delay were found to be justifiable.

“This court is of the opinion that the complainant is not entitled to the condonation of delay in filing the present complaint. Accordingly, the present application is dismissed,” held the court.

Chauhan alleged Bhardwaj defamed him in 2018 by falsely claiming at a press conference that an FIR was lodged against him.