Court stays defamation case proceedings against Delhi CM Atishi

New Delhi [India], November 22 (ANI): Delhi's Rouse Avenue sessions court stayed the proceedings before a magistrate in a defamation case against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday. She has approached the sessions court against the summons issued in a case by BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor.
Special judge Vishal Gogne stayed the proceedings before the magistrate court and has listed the matter for hearing on December 2.
During the hearing, counsel for Atishi filed a rejoinder to a reply filed by Praveen Shankar Kapoor on the revision.
In the morning, the matter was listed before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) who proceeded with the matter. Thereafter, the matter was mentioned before the sessions court.
Delhi CM had approached the sessions court against the summons issued on the complaint filed. On November 6, the court granted time to Delhi CM Atishi's counsel to file a rejoinder.
Earlier, the BJP Leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor filed a reply to the appeal filed by Delhi CM Atishi. It was stated in the reply that the appeal is devoid of merit and liable to be dismissed.
The sessions court had also called for the trial court record two days before the hearing before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.
In the reply, it's stated that the order of summoning was passed after considering the facts, circumstances and material placed on record.
It is also stated by the respondent that he represents the BJP as its media head and spokesperson of the Delhi Unit. Therefore, any defamatory post, article, or press conference circulated on social media is equally defamatory for him due to his long association with the party.
The reply was filed by advocate Shoumendu Mukherjee counsel for Praveen Shankar Kapoor.
Advocate Shoumendu Mukherjee appeared through video conferencing for Praveen Shankar Kapoor.
The Magistrate at Rouse Avenue court had issued the summons to Atishi Marlena on May 28 this year.
The Rouse Avenue court on July 23 granted bail to Delhi 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 BJP approached her through a "very close" person to join the party.
Notice sent by Delhi BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor stated that on April 2, 2024, Atishi held a Press Conference and claimed that she was approached by the BJP to join the party.
Notice sent through Advocate Satya Ranjan Swain on behalf of Praveen Shankar Kapoor had stated that Atishi deliberately and with malicious intent made statements which are not only false, scandalous, concocted and illusionary, but defamatory to harm the reputation of BJP but also of its members.
"In the entire speech, she neither revealed specific information about the source of information nor you have given any details qua the act of BJP the act of BJP. Devoid of any specifities your statement is an intentional endeavor to reflect your own imagination and apprehension," stated the legal notice.
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 Minister Atishi 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 here, 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, will be arrested by the central probe agency. (ANI)