In a significant development on Tuesday, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to Chief Minister Atishi following a plea by BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor against the dismissal of a defamation case. The case pertains to allegations made by Atishi that the BJP attempted to poach AAP MLAs with substantial bribes.
Justice Vikas Mahajan presided over the hearing, directing the issuance of the notice to the respondent, stating, “Issue notice to the respondent.” The case, which has captured the attention of political circles, stems from accusations made by Atishi in press conferences on January 27 and April 2, 2024. She alleged that the BJP offered bribes between Rs 20-25 crore to AAP MLAs as part of an attempt to induce them to switch sides.
Praveen Shankar Kapoor, the former media head and spokesperson for the Delhi BJP unit, challenged the revisional court’s decision to quash the summons issued to Atishi, which would have required her to stand trial. Kapoor’s counsel argued that the revisional court had overstepped its jurisdiction by dismissing his defamation complaint and “justifying” Atishi’s actions by labeling her a whistleblower.
This legal battle also briefly involved former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, although the magisterial court, in its May 28, 2024 order, did not find sufficient grounds to proceed against him.
In a contrasting opinion on January 28, Special Judge Vishal Gogne ruled that Atishi’s allegations fell under the right to freedom of speech concerning political corruption, rather than defamation. He noted that the pre-summoning evidence was insufficient to summon Atishi as an accused.
