Sandeep Dikshit has strongly denied these allegations, calling them false and defamatory. He has stated that the accusations were made without any evidence and aimed to damage his reputation. Dikshit has sought Rs 10 crore in damages in the civil case, citing harm to his public image.
New Delhi [India], January 20: Senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, who is contesting from the New Delhi constituency in the upcoming elections, has filed both civil and criminal defamation cases against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Atishi and Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh.
The cases relate to allegations made by the AAP leaders during a press conference held on December 26, 2024, in New Delhi. During the event, Atishi and Sanjay Singh accused Dikshit of accepting “crores of rupees” from the BJP and conspiring with the party to harm AAP’s electoral prospects.
Sandeep Dikshit has strongly denied these allegations, calling them false and defamatory. He has stated that the accusations were made without any evidence and aimed to damage his reputation. Dikshit has sought Rs 10 crore in damages in the civil case, citing harm to his public image.
In the ongoing civil case, Advocate Sarim Javed, representing Dikshit, appeared before the Delhi High Court. The case, listed for hearing before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, was adjourned and will now be heard in February.
In a related criminal defamation case, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi issued notices last week to Atishi and Sanjay Singh. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal has directed the AAP leaders to appear before the court on January 27, 2025, to respond to the charges.
Dikshit’s lawyer Sarim Naved filed the criminal complaint, stating that the AAP leaders made defamatory remarks during their press conference without any material evidence.
The complaint also notes that Atishi live-streamed the press conference on her X account (formerly Twitter). She shared the video with the caption: “BJP is helping Congress in the Delhi election.”
The post has gained over 30,000 views and, along with widespread media coverage, has allegedly caused further harm to Dikshit’s reputation.
Dikshit’s legal team sent a notice to Atishi and Sanjay Singh on January 2, 2025, demanding an apology and the removal of the defamatory tweet. However, the tweet remains online. Dikshit argues that these actions are a deliberate attempt to malign his image, and he is determined to pursue both civil and criminal charges to hold the AAP leaders accountable.
Dikshit emphasized that the accusations against him are politically motivated. He believes they were made to mislead voters and harm his chances in the election. He reiterated that the defamatory statements were baseless, defamatory, and intended to tarnish his standing among the public.
The civil defamation case will be next heard in February in the Delhi High Court, while Atishi and Sanjay Singh are scheduled to appear in the criminal defamation case on January 27, 2025, at the Rouse Avenue Court.
