TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s counsel on Friday withdrew from a case in the Delhi High Court seeking restraint orders for BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, an advocate and several media houses from circulating any alleged defamatory content against her.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan withdrew himself from the matter after the court was informed by advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai that he was contacted by Sankaranarayanan over phone on Thursday night for withdrawing his complaint to the CBI against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader. Dehadrai is the advocate against whom Moitra has sought the relief.
Sankaranarayanan said that Dehadrai had instructed him in the past, and that is why he approached him.
He also said that he told his client, Moitra, that Dehadrai was a member of the Bar and he has earlier assisted him in a case so let him speak to the latter to which she agreed.
Justice Sachin Datta said he was “appalled” and said since Sankaranarayanan tried to play the role of a mediator, is he still eligible to appear in the matter? “It’s something that you need to answer yourself. It’s your call,” the judge said, prompting Sankaranarayanan to withdraw himself from the case.
Also Read
The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 31, on reopening after Dusshera break.
Moitra, the Lok Sabha MP representing Krishnanagar in West Bengal, has sought permanent injunction against Dubey, Dehadrai, social media platform X, search engine Google, YouTube and 15 media houses and to restrain them from making, publishing, circulating per se defamatory, ex facie false and malicious statements against her. She has also sought damages.
Dubey has accused Moitra of taking bribe from a businessman to ask questions in Parliament and urged Speaker Om Birla to constitute an inquiry committee to look into the charges against her.
